Media hyping stray incidents of attacks on Indians abroad: RSS functionary

An RSS functionary, looking after the Sangh’s overseas affairs, has blamed the media for creating “hype” over “stray incidents” of attacks against Indians abroad, and said they should not be generalised.

Coordinator of RSS Viswa Vibhag, Sadanand Sapre however, flayed the attacks against Indians on foreign soil and said such incidents should be stopped.

“Media many times exaggerate the scene. Yes, some instances are there. To create hype... that is the nature of media,” he said on Monday.To a query about recent attacks against Indians in the US, Sapre said, “Don’t generalise the scenario.”

Referring to incidents of attacks on Indians in Uganda in the 1960s, he said each and every Indian was attacked and thrown out of that country particularly during the rule of Idi Amin.

“Is that happening in the US? Is that happening in Australia? No,” Sapre said.

“Let us not put everything in a single bracket. There are many Americans who are there to protect Indians,” he added.

Sapre’s comments came in response to a question about attacks on Indians abroad during an interactive session after a programme organised here as part of ‘Navathi’ celebrations of Bharathiya Vichara Kendram Director P Parameswaran.

Referring to incidents of attacks against Indians at Melbourne in Australia some years back, Sapre said in some cases Indians were at fault.

“Melbourne incidents reported by media gives an impression that all Indians are being targeted. So I spoke to local people. They said that is not (the case).. It is not at all that all the Indians are targeted. Media has a habit of creating hype,” he said.

“These are stray incidents and those sort of stray incidents are everywhere... even in India,” Sapre said, referring to incidents of attacks against people from Bihar in Mumbai some years back.

Sapre further said activists of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh abroad were providing necessary assistance including legal aid for those Hindus targeted.

“Some action is to be taken... some kind of legal action... That is happening over there,” he said.