The Indian Consulate General in Melbourne was defaced recently and the Indian High Commission in Canberra have raised the issue with Australian authorities on Friday.
As per a report by The Australia Today, graffiti was discovered at the front gate of the Consulate General in the early hours of April 10. They also mentioned that the Consulate premises in Melbourne have previously been the site of similar provocations, with slogans defacing the premises in past years during periods of heightened international tension.
The incident was confirmed by Victoria Police to the , who stated that officers attended the site on the morning of April 10 after a call regarding the act of vandalism was reported.
“Officers believe the front entry of the building was graffitied overnight, sometime between Wednesday, and Thursday. An investigation into the damage remains ongoing," the report stated.
The High Commission in a post on X on Friday said it raised the issue with Australian authorities.
"The incident of defacing at the premises of the Consulate General of India in Melbourne by miscreants has been raised with Australian authorities. All necessary steps are being taken to ensure the safety and security of Indian diplomatic and consular premises and personnel in the country," the post said.
According to PTI, the local police have not confirmed whether any suspects have been identified in the Thursday incident.
Authorities have urged anyone with information to come forward.
“It라이브 바카라 not just graffiti - it라이브 바카라 a message of intimidation aimed at our community,” an Indian-Australian was quoted by The Australia Today, adding that repeated attacks on places of religious and cultural significance were deeply distressing.
Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan's government passed anti-vilification laws this year to strengthen penalties for acts motivated by hate or religious bias.
However, members of the Indian-Australian community continue to raise concerns over perceived slow responses and inconsistent enforcement, especially when compared to responses to similar incidents involving other communities.
“This is not about politics. It라이브 바카라 about safety, respect, and equal protection under the law,” Australia Today said, quoting a community member.
The act has reignited concerns within the Indian-Australian community which has expressed frustration over a growing pattern of targeted incidents involving Hindu temples and Indian government establishments across Melbourne, the news portal said.
In 2023, three Hindu temples in Australia were vandalised. The act was condemned by the Indian government, which stated that such acts "glorified operation of anti-India terrorists."
“The frequency and impunity with which the vandals appear to be operating are alarming, as are the graffiti which include the glorification of anti-Indian terrorists,” the Indian High Commission in Canberra said in a strongly worded statement.
