Safety of Indian diaspora is govt’s top priority: Sushma
— External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Wednesday that India has raised the recent incidents of violence with Indian citizens in the US at the highest level and assured that the government will ensure safety of diaspora.
The minister was making a statement in the Lok Sabha, where she made an appearance for the first time since her kidney transplant surgery.
The minister assured the House that the government was giving highest priority to the safety of Indian diaspora.
“Safety and security of Indian Diaspora abroad remains a top priority for this government. We are in a continuous dialogue with the US government. Close contacts with the local Indian community groups are being maintained through our embassy and consulates to address any emergent issues.
“We will remain vigilant to developments impacting the lives of Indians abroad and do everything possible to safeguard their interests and welfare,” Swaraj said.
The minister’s response came a week after the Lok Sabha members raised concern over hate crimes against Indians in the US.
The members were voicing concern over the killing of Indian engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla in Kansas on February 22 in an apparent hate crime, and of another Indian Harnish Patel a week later.
A Sikh man, Deep Rai, who was an American citizen, was fired at in a racial attack last week, and is out of danger now. “In all three cases,
Close contacts with the local Indian community groups are being maintained through our embassy and consulates to address any emergent issues. We will remain vigilant to developments impacting the lives of Indians abroad and do everything possible to safeguard their interests and welfare Sushma Swaraj, External Affair Minister
the government, through its embassy and consulates, immediately reached out to the affected persons and their families for extending all possible help and support. I have personally spoken to the families of Srinivas Kuchibhotla and Deep Rai,” Swaraj said.
“The Government has taken up this issue with the US Government at very high levels and conveyed our deep concerns. We have called for necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of Indian diaspora and expeditious investigation into these incidents.”
The Foreign Secretary discussed this matter in his meetings with Cabinet Ministers and senior functionaries of the US Administration as well as with the Congressional leadership during his recent visit to the US, she said. “The US authorities have responded strongly and assured us that they were working with all concerned agencies to ensure speedy justice,” Swaraj added. Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar was in the US from February 28 to March 3.
She said there had been widespread condemnation of these incidents by the US leadership.
“President Donald Trump referred to the Kansas shooting in his address to a joint session of Congress on February 28 and said that the US stands united in condemning hate and evil in all its forms,” the minister said.
She also said speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan expressed the House’s condolences on the killing of Kuchibotla.