Melbourne/New Delhi, Feb 24 (Inditop.com) Their plates overflowing with solidarity, many Australians tucked into Indian cuisine Wednesday. From Victoria Premier John Brumby to commoners, crowds thronged Indian restaurants as part of the `Vindaloo Against Violence’ initiative.
Brumby ate lunch with members of the Indian community at Melbourne’s popular Indian cafe Desi Dhaba while Indian food, including tandoori chicken, was served at Queensland’s parliament.
Mia Northorp, who started the campaign to show solidarity with Indians in Australia following 30 attacks on community members since May last year, said she was amazed with the response. The campaign has led to many Indian restaurants across the country being booked well in advance for lunch and dinner.
Brumby said in Melbourne: “The Vindaloo Against Violence initiative is a unique opportunity for Victorians to unite and send a message that the actions of an ignorant few will not be allowed to undermine the reputation of Melbourne as a peaceful and friendly city.”
“Victoria has been shaped by people from across the world. We come from over 200 countries, speak more than 230 languages and dialects and follow more than 120 faiths. Today, Victoria’s 150,000-strong Indian community is a vital part of modern-day multicultural Victoria.
“Victoria’s cultural diversity is one of our strengths and any attack on our community is an attack upon us all. Any attack motivated by race or prejudice is particularly disgraceful.
In New Delhi, Australian High Commissioner Peter Varghese, said: “This is a simple but telling gesture from the Australian community to India and the Indian members of Australia’s community.”
“Australians love the diversity of our multicultural society and have categorically rejected the events of the recent past – they have no place in a society as culturally plural as ours.”
“This initiative will help in building bridges and restoring the trust, respect and friendship that exists between the broad Australian community and its valued members of Indian origin.”
Thirty five-year-old Mia Northrop, a digital media professional from Flemington, initially invited 100 friends on Facebook to dine out to support the Indian community, but her idea quickly gathered pace.
Northrop said: “I think it’s been an important time for people to say we don’t want our country tarnished as a racist place. The majority of us really enjoy the cultural diversity and have nothing but respect for our migrant communities.”
She knows there is no easy fix to the violence, but hopes this event will let the Indian community know “that they are welcome and entitled to feel safe here”, The Age reported.
As part of the campaign Wednesday, Australia’s Queensland parliament served an Indian menu, including tandoori chicken and vegetable pakora.
Australian news agency AAP reported that all lunches and dinners served at state parliament Wednesday will be curries.
“Vindaloo Against Violence is the perfect chance for Queenslanders to show their support for the state’s 26,000-strong Indian community,” Multicultural Affairs Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk told parliament.
Most Indian restaurants in Australia were booked out for Wednesday.
Brenda Pereira, co-owner of Indian Tukka on Victoria in Collingwood, said: “I think it will go really well. It’s just the awareness, everyone letting their friends know, it has a domino effect.
“I’m sure it will go well and the message will go out to the community,” The Age quoted her as saying.
Rajendra Pokhrel, owner of Northcote’s Downunder Curry, arrived at his restaurant four hours early to begin cooking.
“Whatever support they’re showing it’s great. If I let them down it’s not going to be good. It’s great, it’s definitely sending a message across.”
Melbourne’s Tiffins, which delivers Indian meals by bicycle, was having one of its busiest days.
Mikhil Kotak, who co-owns the business, said they had to close their website down because of the phenomenal response to the campaign.
“It is so busy we have four vans helping our fleet of five bikes to make 1,000 deliveries during lunch today (Wednesday). This is a huge amount and just goes to show how passionately locals feel about this message.”
