SUSHMA ‘SURPRISED, PAINED’ BY AFRICAN NATIONS’ IRE

NEWDELHI: External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said on Thursday she was “surprised and pained” at the charge by some African nations that India is a xenophobic country after multiple attacks on Nigerian students in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh last month.

Swaraj reiterated in the Lok Sabha that the attack on the foreign nationals was a criminal act and one should not jump the guns to call it racial.

“I spoke to UP chief minister demanding independent probe… Six persons have been arrested in this regard,” she said. “You

› You can’t say our steps are inadequate. We are committed to ensuring security of all foreigners...it is not right to connect with racism before probe ends. SUSHMA SWARAJ, external affairs minister

can’t say our steps are inadequate.

We are committed to ensuring the security of all foreigners in India... It is not right to connect with racism before probe ends. I said this in the context of attacks in the US too.”

Her reaction came after a group of African envoys said India didn’t do enough to stop the attacks. A statement by the Heads of African Mission dated March 31 called for condemnation at the highest level in India and demanded an independent investigation by human rights bodies. It also called the attacks “racist” and xenophobic”.

In Abuja, Olushola Enikanolaiye, permanent secretary in Nigeria’s foreign ministry, summoned Indian envoy B Nagabhushana Reddy on Wednesday and expressed “displeasure” over the attacks on Nigerians and voiced concern that the incident was not the first of its kind.