Unfortunate if We Have to Dilute Relations With Africa: President
Mukherjee said the bonds between the people of India and the people of Africa have been forged since time immemorial.
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President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday expressed concern over a string of alleged attacks on Africans in the country, saying it would be most unfortunate if the people of India were to “dilute our long tradition of friendship with the people of Africa”.
Addressing the delegates of 7th Annual Heads of Mission Conference who called on him, the President said,”People of Africa are welcome as we have always extended to them in our country. African students in India should have no reason to fear for their safety and security.”
The President said he was happy that the Ministry of External Affairs in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs is proactively following up on the few isolated incidents that have occurred and working closely with authorities to ensure the safety of African students in India.
Delhi Police Assures Safety of African Delegation
Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma on Monday met a delegation of Africans and assured them of prompt action for their safety, in the wake of a series of attacks on Africans in the city.
The delegation was assured that Delhi Police has taken steps for the safety of Africans in the city and was briefed about the meetings of police all over Delhi with members of the African community, especially after the murder of a Congolese national on 20 May this year.
A Spate of Attacks
Meanwhile, the family members of Congolese national Masonga Kitanda Olivier, who was beaten to death on 20 May by some locals over a minor altercation, arrived in the capital on Monday to take back his mortal remains. They were received by a senior official of the Ministry of External Affairs.
A group of African students also held a protest at Jantar Mantar on Monday, holding aloft placards that read ‘Racism Ruins Lives’, and demanded that the Indian government act swiftly to stop attacks on the community.
On Tuesday, a two-hour peaceful protest demonstration has been planned at the same venue by the Association of African Students in India (AASI) and Association For Community Research and Action (ACRA). External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State VK Singh are expected to meet African students at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday to assure them of safety and security.
The spate of rising attacks on African nationals has caused outrage among the community, several thousands of who study in India. The African envoys had last week threatened to boycott the Africa Day event over the murder of Olivier.
Meanwhile, an Ola cab driver was allegedly assaulted by a group of Africans – five men and a woman – after he refused to allow more than four passengers to travel in his vehicle, police said.
(With inputs from IANS)
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