Now even Indians are attacking Indians

Patrick says:

11:59am | 28/07/09

Treat others the way you wish to be treated yourself. As much as the Indian tabloid media’s horribly distorted coverage of this, I think Australia is getting a bit of a taste of it’s own medicine.

I’ve lost count of the number of times that new Limited tabloid trash papers have stirred up racist sentiment when a white man is bashed by a black man, or the talk back radio shock jocks spewing their hate speech against ethnic minorities,  the children overboard drama and the xenophobic attitude we had towards refugees after 9/11, etc etc. It’s all very well to demonise people of other races and from other countries, but suddenly when we find ourselves on the receiving end it isn’t quite as fun anymore.

Michael says:

12:24pm | 28/07/09

Are we really so naive that we believe that this is simply about media coverage?

India has been hemorrhaging students to all points of the globe.  The US, UK, Europe and Australia.  They are not happy as this harms the prestige of their native institutions.  How do they counter this, very simple a well put together PR campaign.  Australia is not the only country that is feeling the heat from Indian Journalists (term used particularly loosely as those that work for tabloids can hardly be judged so).

Control the media and you can control the populace and public opinion.  Ask Mohhamed Mossadeq who was ousted from Iran largely due to the vile, spin and spurious claims by the local media.

The unfortunate part of this situation is that education is the 4th largest ‘export’ Australia has.  In a time when exports are essential these issues are important.  Australia wants as many Indian Rupees as possible and India wants to keep its Rupees.  Realistically, at some point of this sham reporting there is a someone pushing the issue and provoking the Media in India.

Craig Cooper says:

01:10pm | 28/07/09

Thanks for your insight Michael.  Have you got any links to back up your claims of Indian PR?

Michael says:

01:50pm | 28/07/09

@ Craig.  I have used PR tactics extensively for a number of different issues commercial and public interest.  Journalists are information collectors, they are not information creators.  They are also very busy people who are constantly under deadlines - information verification has become a very loose process for the media.  Provide them with a well written, formated, and apparently sourced news release and you will be amazed at what you can get on a site, in a paper, or cribbed for an article.  Do that enough in a short space of time and you will create momentum on an issue.

Momentum is the key driver of the OpEd writer.  They only want issues that will be either contentious or galvanizing for a growing public perception.

There had to be an interest group to create the ferver that this has reached.  Would be interesting to see if one of our better invetigative reporters can track back the issue - find an issues group loosely aligned with Indian Students.

The hallmarks of extensive, and excellent, PR are quite simple.  Look at the OpEd, look for a common thread and then ask a few questiuons? 

1 - What is the focus of the Indian Media attention?

Indian Students abroad, and their safety. 

2 - Why Indian Students, why not all Indians?

Each student represents between $50K to $150K in AUD leaving India and travelling to another country.  That is money flowing out of the Indian Economy.

3 - What is the likely result of a negative perception of travelling abroad to study for Indians?

More students studying within India.  Greater numbers through domestic Indian institutions.  More money kept in India less lost abroad.  A larger domestic Alumni and a continual dilution of the hollowed perception of a western education.

Here is the big problem:  Perception is reality.  It is now the Indian reality that our country is inhospitable to them and that we are a racist people.

Craig Cooper says:

03:55pm | 28/07/09

@ Michael: 

Thanks for your well considered and well written response.  I really didn’t expect that much effort.

The theory fits, I agree.  The problem is that, in this case, without the proof of the institutional catalyst and the requisite mens rea, the theory is mere speculation.

I too would find it interesting to see if anyone can track the issue back to it’s supposed malicious genesis.  Whose going to take up the flame?

eag says:

08:10am | 29/07/09

Perception does become reality and from viewing events in India over the years we could say,if we were’nt worried about being accused of being racist, that many people from India when en masse can be volatile.Bad news spreads fast and none can criticise the behaviour of Indian students in a country they don’t know because it would be racist.Hands tied! Not for a moment condonning behaviour of those who have been guilty of an offence but it’s a case of actions and consequences sometimes something Gen Y is not good at wherever they were born.

Michael says:

01:52pm | 29/07/09

@ Craig.  There lies the rub doesn’t it! 

Proof of my point would be fantastic.  Although I am sure that the simple repose would be that it is simply highlighting events occurring, not manufacturing them.

I believe that the damage is now done.  My prediction is that enrollments from India, and perhaps most SE Asian nations, will be lower.  The amount that can be attributed to the this calamity and also the Financial Crisis may be indistinct.

The full drop will almost certainly be attributed to negative public opinions now seeded within the Indian Nation. 

Ironically, logic and reason, principles higher education aspires to create in foreign and domestic students departed this saga long ago.  They were replaced by their enemies, unrestrained nationalistic emotion and fear.

@EAG I think that you are mentioning that their reaction has be akin to the very incidents they are protesting.  Burning an effigy of our Prime Minister, whilst claiming the Australian people are in fact racist is a little too far beyond the pale of good reason in my opinion.

iansand says:

03:42pm | 29/07/09

The Indian media would not accuse Australia of racism if they knew we were racist.  The accusation is only made because they know it worries us, not because they believe it to be true.