Recently numerous incidents of physical attacks on Indian students in Australia have been reported. Many of them are very obviously racially motivated.

These incidents are unfortunate and must not go unpunished.

I request that you instruct your foreign ministry to start a cell where complaints can be lodged electronically and easily, through email, mobile phones or web sites by Indian nationals when they face maltreatment in Australia as they often have no one to turn to when victimised. Each of these complaints should be made public and attended to expeditiously.

Your government must act to educate and inform Australians of the culture of Indian students and develop sensitivity and understanding towards them.

Cultural education should be given to Indian students before they leave Indian shores so they are also aware and respectful of Australian customs and traditions.

Many of these students fall victim to unscruplous operators who lure them with promise of education and jobs to Australia, deprive them of their money and leave them vulnerable to exploitation and crime.

Prime Minister, we have seen a tendency in Australia to dismiss many incidents as "crimes of opportunity." We believe that when it comes to a young and vulnerable ethnic migrant community in Australia no incident it too trivial to be ignored. We cannot allow racism to fester in any form. Any reported crime against this minority should be investigated vigorously and a clear message given to racists that they will not be tolerated under any garb.

Prime Minister, you recently took the courageous and bold step to apologise for generations of exploitation and suppression of aboriginal Australians by white immigrants. You cannot allow something similar to take place in 21st century, under your watch. We know that you represent a vast majority of Australians that are kind spirited, tolerant and generous. Many Indian families entrust their children to your care for education and spend enormous amounts of money in doing so. You cannot allow a small number of racist thugs to give Australia and its good people a bad name.

We hope that swift and strict action by Australian government in prevention, education and enforcement will once again restore the image of Australia as a wonderful, safe and welcoming country without any traces of racism.