Australia is a tolerant multicultural nation and anyone responsible for attacks on religious places will face the “full force of the law”, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday.
His comments came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his concerns to Albanese over recent attacks on temples in Australia.
Albanese said Australia is a country that respects people’s faith and it will not tolerate any attacks on religious buildings, be they Hindu temples, mosques, synagogues, or churches.
Before he wrapped up his three-day visit to India, Albanese told a group of Australian journalists that the country’s security agencies will make sure that anyone responsible for such activities faces the “full force of the law”.
“I gave him the assurance that Australia is a country that respects people’s faith. That we don’t tolerate the sort of extreme actions and attacks that we’ve seen on religious buildings, be they Hindu temples, mosques, synagogues, or churches,” Albanese said.
“This has no place in Australia. And, we will take every action through our police and also our security agencies to make sure that anyone responsible for this faces the full force of the law. We’re a tolerant multicultural nation, and there is no place in Australia for this activity,” he said, according to a transcript released by the Australian PM’s office.
Albanese was asked what assurances he conveyed to Modi to protect Hindu temples in Australia.
Prime Minister Modi raised the issue of recent attacks on temples during his talks with Albanese at the first India-Australia summit on Friday.
In his media statement, Modi, standing alongside Albanese, had described as a “matter of regret” the reports of attacks on temples in Australia over the past few weeks.
“The Indian community is making a significant contribution to the society and economy of Australia. It is a matter of regret that attacks on temples have been regularly reported in Australia over the past few weeks,” Modi had said.
“It is natural that such news worries the people in India, and disturbs our minds. I have shared these feelings and concerns of ours with Prime Minister Albanese. And he has assured me that the safety of the Indian community is a special priority for him. Our teams will be in regular touch on this topic, and will cooperate as much as possible,” he had said.
Briefing reporters on the summit, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said there were discussions on the disturbances created by pro-Khalistani outfits in Australia as well, adding Prime Minister Modi expressed strong concern on the incidents of vandalism and violence targeting the Indian community and temples in that country.
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