Indian students take out rally against attacks

they are demanding justice for the victims of recent assaults, including 25-year-old shravan kumar who is battling for life in a local hospital. the 'peace rally' organised by bodies like federation of indian students in australia (fisa) and national union of students kicked off from outside the royal melbourne hospital, where kumar is in a critical condition in the intensive care unit after being stabbed with a screwdriver by a group of teens on sunday last. from the hospital, the marchers proceeded to the victorian parliament in spring street, where they shouted slogans like 'bharat mata ki jai'. 'we want justice for the victims of racist violence,' demanded the students, who also displayed placards carrying messages like 'save our students' and 'stop racist violence'. police were present in strength to maintain law and order as the rally led to traffic diversion at the spring street, which was completely blocked by the demonstrators who hoped to meet the victorian parliamentarians to put forward their demands. reacting to the students' rally, indian consul general in melbourne, anita nayar, described it as freedom of expression. 'australia is a democratic country and it (this rally) is freedom of expression,' she told. however, she hoped that that event remained peaceful and did not turn ugly. television footage of kumar fighting for life in the hospital sent shock waves among the 95,000-strong indian student community in australia, which is home to over 4 lakh international students.