Bollywood star turns back on degree.
June 3rd 2009 10:00
Amitabh Bachchan courtesy: link below
The attacks, which Indian media have called raced-based, have caused some diplomatic discomfort, with the Indian government summoning the Australian ambassador last week to convey its concern and urge action.
The prime ministers of the two countries also discussed the attacks that have dominated newspaper and television headlines in India during the past week.
Bachchan, in his blog post on Saturday he would not accept the honour from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), a decision he said he took after receiving advice from his readers on www.bigb.bigadda.com/
"My conscience is profoundly unsettled at the moment and there seems to be a moral disjuncture between the suffering of these students and my own approbation," Bachchan, 66, wrote in a letter to the university which he posted on his blog.
"Under the prevailing circumstances I find it inappropriate at this juncture, to accept this decoration."
Professor Peter Coaldrake in a reply to Bachchan's letter of May 30 posted on Bachchans blog stated - "We understand your delimma and fully respect your decision about teh difficulty of accepting the award at this juncture."
Professof Coaldrake then went on to assure the Bollywood star the University condemned these attacks and hoped - "the circumstances improve and that at a later date, the opportunity will be available to acknowledge your contribution."
Four Indian students were attacked with a screwdriver by a gang at a Melbourne party last weekend. One of the victims remains in hospital with serious injuries.Another Indian student was attacked in what appeared to be a robbery, and there were three other attacks in early May, including two on Indian taxi drivers.
A protest by Indian and Australian students on Monday was broken up by police after the students started a sit down out front of Melbournes Flinders Street station, one of the main thoroughfares in Melbournes CBD. This is the second such protest after Indian Taxi Drivers also carried out a sit in protest in the near vicinity after the May attacks
Bachchan has often created contoversy for his forthright opinions and was involved in a minor spat with SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE director Danny Boyle and writer Simon Beaufoy claiming the film portrayed India as a Third World country.
To find out more head to source below.
Source::© Thomson Reuters 2009 All rights reserved
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picture: Really Long Link
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