Are our people safe? India asks Australia to explain

Melbourne: India on Wednesday sought "credible answers" from Australia about the safety of its nationals who are studying in that country.

"It is important to understand that there is anger and frustration in India over what is happening (in Australia)," said Indian High Commissioner Sujatha Singh in an article published in the Age newspaper in Melbourne.

Parents of over 120,000 Indian students in Australia had questions about their children’s safety. "Are our children safe in Australia? Why does it seem that only, or mainly, Indians are the victims? Are the assailants being caught? Are they being punished? Is the situation becoming better or worse?"

"I cannot overstate the importance of keeping the human element in the forefront in providing credible answers to these questions and sending a clear message to parents far away in India, worrying about their children in Australia," said Singh, who will visit India to brief the government over the steps to secure Indian students.

Over 100 cases of attacks on Indians have been reported since the last year in Australia, mostly in Victoria, and the issue has been taken up by top representatives of the Indian government with their Australian counterparts.