NEW DELHI, May 31: Stepping up its outreach in the wake of string of attacks against African nationals, government today announced a slew of steps including a major sensitisation campaign even as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the killing of a Congolese youth was not a “racial crime”.
Swaraj, along with her junior Minister V K Singh, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and other senior officials, met a group of African envoys and students who raised concerns over safety and security to which she assured that government was working on a “major strategy” under which an institutional mechanism will be put in place.
She also said that the government was committed to a fast-track trial in the case of killing of the Congolese national Masonda Ketada Oliver and “harshest possible punishment” for the culprits.
Terming the killing of Oliver “barbaric”, Swaraj, however, said, “it is not a case of racial crime as the CCTV footage shows that the local residents who tried to save Oliver were also attacked.”
“The ministry will be carrying out a sensitisation campaign across the country as such incidents are bad for the image of the country. An advisory will also be issued to the states to sensitise people in the areas where there is a big number of African nationals,” Swaraj said.
This was Swaraj’s first official engagement in the Ministry after being discharged from AIIMS on May 15 where she was admitted for three weeks due to pneumonia.
During the meeting she also thanked the African students for calling off their protest at Jantar Mantar today following assurances by the Ministry. She also appreciated the participation of African envoys at the India-hosted Africa Day celebration last week.
Swaraj said, “We have made an elaborate plan. We will go
to each and every city and carry out a sensitisation programme….We are making a major strategy. In the next 10-15 days, we are making an institutional mechanism.”
Earlier, a group of African students called off a planned protest against attacks against the community following government’s assurance.
There has been a series of attacks on African nationals in the last few days including assault on a 23-year-old Nigerian student in Hyderabad.
Minister of State for External Affairs had carried out a sensitisation programme at Chattarpur area in South Delhi on Sunday following attacks on African nationals in that area on Thursday night in which six persons from the community were injured.
Jaishankar had met a group of African students yesterday and had told that safety and security of the community was an “article of faith” for the government.
Joint Secretary (West Africa) in the MEA Birender Yadav had received the family of Oliver at the airport. The MEA is bearing all expenses related to dispatch of mortal remains of Oliver.
In an apparent backlash to the attacks, a cab driver was beaten up allegedly by a group of Africans yesterday in south Delhi’s Rajpur Khurd.
In her statement, Swaraj said the recent incidents relating to members of the African community were not only very unfortunate, but also “very painful”.
“As a mother, I can understand the pain of a mother who loses a son on foreign soil. It would be a traumatic experience.
“India’s historical relations with Africa rest on the foundation of brotherhood and solidarity and we should not allow such incidents to deflect from our historical friendship and close development partnership with Africa,” she said.
The External Affairs Minister said India is the land of Gandhi and Buddha and that “We have fought consistently against racial discrimination. Mahatma Gandhi himself championed the cause of fighting against this evil. We can never have a racist mindset.
“These were not premeditated acts against a particular community, rather these were spontaneous attacks perpetrated by anti-social and criminal elements,” Swaraj said.
She further added, “Nevertheless, it is incumbent upon us to prevent such attacks and we are determined to do so.
“I assure our African friends that institutional mechanisms would be put in place to ensure that such incidents do not recur in future. India will continue to remain a country where they will always feel welcome,” she said.
The Ministers said immediately after the MEA learnt about these incidents, it proactively reached out to the African diplomatic community and the African students
“I personally monitored the situation and spoke to the Lt Governor of Delhi, Najeeb Jung and requested him to have the case investigated on a fast track basis. I also spoke to Home Minister Rajnath Singh and he has given instructions for police patrolling to be increased in areas where a sizeable African community resides,” she said.
Swaraj said Singh, has also met the members of the African diplomatic community and has assured the government’s full support in the issue.
“The MoS will hold meetings with the African community in all major metros where they reside. He will be accompanied by Secretary (ER) and police commissioners of these cities. We will also carry out a sensitisation campaign,” Swaraj said.
Holding that all criminal acts should not be construed as racial attacks, Swaraj said Delhi police immediately swung into action after killing of the Oliver. (PTI)
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