Melbourne, April 11 The incident of defacing at the premises of the Consulate General of India in Melbourne by miscreants has been raised with Australian authorities, the High Commission of India in Canberra stated on Friday.
"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 safety and security of Indian diplomatic and consular premises and personnel in the country," the High Commission posted on X Friday evening.
Earlier in the day, local media reported that the Consulate General of India in Melbourne has once again been targeted in an act of vandalism, with graffiti discovered at the front entrance of the diplomatic premises located at 344 St Kilda Road. The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of April 10, around 1 am.
"Officers believe the front entry of the building was graffitied overnight, sometime between Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th April. An investigation into the damage remains ongoing," Australia Today quoted a Victoria Police spokesperson as saying.
This is not the first time that the Consulate General of India or Hindu temples in Melbourne have been defaced, most of the time with anti-India graffiti. New Delhi has repeatedly registered a strong protest with the Australian government asking it to take swift action and bring the perpetrators to the book.
"It's not just graffiti — it's a message of intimidation aimed at our community," a local Indian-Australian told Australia Today after the latest incident.
In 2023, during Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's State Visit to India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed strong concern on the growing incidents of vandalism and violence by pro-Khalistani outfits that targetted the Indian community and temples in Australia.
Albanese had then assured PM Modi that his government has a "deep understanding" and appreciation of India's concern and will be taking all necessary measures to ensure that peace and harmony prevail in their society.
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