Posts by Neena Bhandari

Gandhi remembered on birth anniversary in Australia

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By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 03.10.2008 (IANS): A melodious rendition of ‘Raghupati Raghav Rajaram’ set the mood for the International Day of non-violence celebrations in Canberra’s Glebe Park, where Mahatma Gandhi’s statue stands tall.

The 1.68 metre high bronze statue of the Father of the Nation, made by renowned Delhi-based sculptor Ram Sutar, in the heart of Canberra is symbolic of the many core values of tolerance and respect for diversity that the two nations share.

Rich floral tributes were paid Thursday to the Mahatma by over a hundred Australians and members of the Indian community gathered at the Park, where workers come to eat their lunches during the week and families gather at weekends for picnics and play. Curious onlookers stopped to hear messages of peace and non-violence.

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One in 10 Australians racist, says study

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By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 30.09.2008 (IANS): Racism is waning but it still exists in Australia, one of the most multicultural countries in the world, say researchers.

In 2007-08, just under 200,000 people migrated to Australia, accounting for 59 percent of the increase in the country’s population of about 21 million.

It all went to make the country even more multicultural. The Australian social fabric is now a rich tapestry of migrants from nearly 200 countries.

Still, one in 10 Australians believe that some races are superior to others. “One in 10 is a lot. It means one person in every lunch room, one person in every locker room, five or 10 people on a train.

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Indian women, down under and tortured

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By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 25.09.2008 (WFS): Pyali Shah, 40, had met her husband on the internet. Both hailed from Karnataka and had been previously married. It seemed a perfect match until she arrived on the shores of Australia and witnessed relentless mental and physical abuse.

“My husband, a widower with two children, just wanted a baby-sitter. He would lock me up and beat me. There was no money as I faced constant threat of being thrown out or sent back to India. He would surf the Internet for other women and compelled me to have an abortion”, says Pyali, a psychologist by profession, whose abuse was detected at the hospital when she went for the abortion. She was sent to a refuge and provided counselling and support.

The scourge of mental, physical and sexual violence in the sanctity of one’s own home started as a trickle, but has become a flood in recent years with more Indian immigrants coming to Australia.

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