Indians in Oz feel race angle being 'forcefully fed'

Melbourne: Unhappy with the media in their native country linking a slew of attacks on Indians here with racism, many community members in Australia have complained that they now feel threatened to move around freely because of the "hype" over the issue and fear a backlash.

"It's not going the right way at all. We feel scared to move around alone now -- which was not the case earlier -- ever since the Indian media started giving blanket coverage to such attacks," said Yogita Garyali, who has been living here for the past six years.

She said Indians are feeling a constant threat about their safety because of the Indian media going "rabid" about racism. Her friend Shiny Mehta also voice similar concerns, saying she used to take public transport at six in the morning and as late as 11 in the night till few months back and never experienced any safety issues.

"It was pretty safe...But now I will not commute during these hours," Shiny said, claiming that the race angle has been "forcefully fed" in the minds of locals as well as Indians here.

Another young computer engineer Amitan Naqaib said he was recently cornered by an old Australian lady in a jam-packed tram, who suddenly asked why he felt Australia was a racist country? "I don't think Australia is racist, it's just law and order situation. Indian media has hyped and exaggerated," Amitan felt.