Bachchan Turns Down Australian Doctorate as Mark of Protest


PTI

New Delhi, May 30: Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has reacted to racial attacks on Indian students in Australia by rejecting an honorary doctorate offered to him by an Australian university.

The Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane had offered the 66-year-old veteran a doctorate for his contribution to the world of entertainment and Bachchan had earlier accepted the title.

The honour was to be conferred on the star in July as a part of celebrations to commemorate a retrospective of his films to be inaugurated in the city.

"I have been witnessing with great dismay and shock, the recent violent attacks on Indian students in Australia, on the electronic media the entire day," Bachchan wrote on his blog.

"I mean no disrespect to the Institution that honours me, but under the present circumstances, where citizens of my own country are subjected to such acts of inhuman horror, my conscience does not permit me to accept this decoration from a country that perpetrates such indignity to my fellow countrymen," he added.

Australia has recently seen a series of attacks on Indian students, the most serious being the assault of Shravan Kumar, a 25-year-old student from Andhra Pradesh who is battling for life in a hospital here after being stabbed by a screwdriver by a group of teens in a weekend attack that also left three of his friends injured.

  

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  • S.M. Nawaz Kukkikatte, udupi

    Sun, May 31 2009

    Good Decision.. Amithab jii .. We love our Indians wherever they are..

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  • Nanag Shetty, Kinnigoly/Oman

    Sun, May 31 2009

    Good gesture by AB . Also students go abroad must restrain from indulging in show off of their wealth , which obviously would attract locals ire. Also exaggerated coverage of the certain incidents in India by news media , always makes the locals to point finger at Indians abroad. Meanwhile most of the states governments think about providing world class education and make India as the educational destination of world.

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  • Munna, Bejai

    Sun, May 31 2009

    We might have some internal problems thats Okie we wiil solve it some day... But when it is out side of our country we cannot bare it we are one that should be the message to Any out side countries

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  • Saleem Abdul, Mangalore

    Sun, May 31 2009

    I would prefer that Mr.Big B to fully involve with our India''s external affair team in order to get the real justice for those victims and their family. To be honest i dont think that just refusing an award will put an end to this issue. The criminals must be punished in such a way that no such incidents to repeat in future.

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  • as mulky, mulky

    Sun, May 31 2009

    IF U DONT LIKE THE DEGREE FROM AUSTRLIA NO PROBLEM, THEY WILL GIVE TO ONE OF THE KHANS DEAR. TAKE IT OR LIVE IT ,IT DOESNT MATTER FOR ANYONE. WHY CANT U IMPROVE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN INDIA SO THAT NO ONE WILL GO OUT AND STUDY. ASM

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  • Roshan , Moodbidri/Abudhabi

    Sun, May 31 2009

    Is it so necessary that our students go there and study?.Or is it our education so poor in our country?. Australia cannot beat india in any form of our education, students parents should think twice b4 they send their children overseas.

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  • Bulsam, Mangalore

    Sat, May 30 2009

    About a Lakh Indian students are studying in different universities among them only few are of world standard and the rest are just money making institutions. Except a very few students who is persuading a coarse that is not offered in India but most others who complete their MBA by spending a fortune, come back to India & take up job that are offered to any Indian students.

    They waste there time, money & living in a curfew like atmosphere always with fear for their life when they venture out. Guys stop thinking foreign and look into some of the Indian institutes that are far better than those placed abroad. You will be respected, you have to pay far less money, you can visit your home town quite often, you will have less tress & lonely feeling & you will come out as a better qualified personal.

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  • RIYAZ, AL KHOBAR/INDIA

    Sat, May 30 2009

    "Your Act shows how indians are united" Hats off to you sir.

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  • Charles D''Mello, Pangala

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Dear Sir (Dr. Amithaab) you have done a good job. For you it doest matter by not having an additional decoration. But for the Indian community in Australia, it is really a great support. Racist people shall be given such respect.

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  • Shareef Moideen, Mangalore/Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Prem & Sean, Indians in India are citizens of India and if Indians are attacked in India it is domestic problem and no one has the authority to attack Indians anywhere in the world in the name of religion, caste, creed, color or culture. We have to be united at this juncture or these kinds of attacks on Indians all over the world will start if our government don’t take action or sever the relations with that country.

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  • Shareef Moideen, Mangalore/Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Big B certainly has acted wisely he has fans worldwide, Big B has shown solidarity towards his countrymen and hope that other celebrities will follow him and even the film producers, directors and Indian tourists should avoid going to Australia so they can feel the pinch. Australians are famous for racial abuse & discrimination, even in cricket lots of Asian cricketers are victims of racial abuse by these Australian cricketers.

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  • sean , mangalore

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Indians are attacked in India be it muslims , sikhs, christians ! After all, these are immigrant Indians in foreign soil, what right Indian govt has to cry foul for ?

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  • Prem, Mangalore

    Sat, May 30 2009

    One Indian was attacked in Australia.......such big DRAMA. When thousands of catholics attacked in Kandahal.... Where was Amithab Bachhan?

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  • Ivan Pinto, Belthangady

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Nothing more to say other than "YOU ARE GREAT AND TRUE INDIAN". We are  proud of you.

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  • antony suares, Udupi / UAE

    Sat, May 30 2009

    But we indians have also mistreated visitors to our country. It is  hypocracy when a person like Graham Staines from Australia is killed in india for helping the poor and the backward. Foreigners are raped and murdered by sons of Indian politicians and get away with it. There are rotten mangoes everywhere and within us too.

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  • Manohar Veigas, UDUPI

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Big B has indeed sent a strong message to the Australian Government against racial attacks on Indians by turning down the doctorate to be conferred on him by the Queensland University. You have indeed expressed the feelings of we Indians by your bold decision.

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  • justin, kinnigoli/Melbourne

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Some of the problems here in Melbourne are made by Indian students themselves as they think they are in India, talking loudly over the phone in trains when whole train is silent, mobile ipod and show off. . That does not mean attack is justified, but I can say it was not racially motivated...teenage thugs do this very often for weekend fun,money when they are in groups. Appriciate government's concern.

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  • mohammad, mangalore

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Hats off to you sir, You are  a true indian.

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  • devi prasad rao, mulky/dubai

    Sat, May 30 2009

    thank you very much sir,you really great you are a true indian, where is our indian govt when such an inhuman assult is taking place where is indian ambassy may be sleeping.wake up guys do something for NRI''S .JAI BHARAT MATHA JAI HINDUSTAN

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  • Lancy Moras, Bendur - Jeddah, KSA

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Hats Off and God bless you Mr. Bachchan. A gr8 decision and a gr8 move indeed. I pray for your better health and you live long Sir.

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  • Sunil D''souza, Mangalore/Qatar

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Good decision for a good cause.we salute your decision.

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  • HENRY DSOUZA, Borivali, Mumbai

    Sat, May 30 2009

    I heartly appreciate the concern shown by you towards our indian students in Australia. Please raise your voices on domestic isuues also. You can turn out the things in India too.

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  • Gopala, UK

    Sat, May 30 2009

    We love you as you care us

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  • ABDUL RAHMAN, kavoor/duabi.

    Sat, May 30 2009

    THANK YOU SIR FOR YOUR WISE DECISION.WE ARE PROUD OF YOU.

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  • Albert Mascarenhas, Uppinangady/Bangalore

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Well done Mr. Amitab Bachchan. I am proud of you. Let our Govt. act seriously.

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  • shahnawaz kukkikatte, dubai/udupi

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Well done Mr Bachhan. Your action of solidarity is much appreciated. May God bless you and your family.

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  • Cheryl Pereira, Bombay

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Well done Mr. Bachan. I always admired your integrity.

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  • Jaimini P.B., Manipal,Sharjah

    Sat, May 30 2009

    At Last ..somebody has come forward to raise VOICE against racial abuse agaisnt Indidan students in Australia.Recently,many Indian students (Engineering/medical/IT,mostly from Andhra Pradesh) were killed in US. Not even a single killer was caught by US police !! just imagine,these people have been trying to catch most wanted terrorist in the world !!

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  • Rayyan Ali, Mangalore

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Well done Mr. Bachan. Let our new foreign Minister Mr. Krishna act seriously. There are many Mangalorean students studying in Australia. Let the students of Mangalore hold a peaceful rally against this cruel act of Australians.

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  • Rolphy Almeida, Kalmady/Bangalore

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Well-done Mr. Bachchan, we being Indians honour your decision wholeheartedly. Any disrespect to one Indian is disrespect to the whole nation.

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  • Rakesh Pinto, Shirva / Muscat

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Sir, You''ve raised a wake up voice to all Indians to be one. Even in Australia, all Indians should unite for this cause.

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  • Leena D''Souza, Mangalore/Bahrain

    Sat, May 30 2009

    Thanks Mr. Bachchan. I hope the people understand that we should not fight for racism or religion. Since we are witnessing globalisation.

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  • Margaret Thomas Dsouza, Mangalore/Israel

    Sat, May 30 2009

    good decision by Amithab.you are a true indian.we proud of you Mr Big B.

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