Indians denied permission to take part in march in south Australia
10 Sep 2014 12:42 AM GMT
While ANZAC Day Committee chair, the organisers, have invited the group to join the centenary ANZAC March next year, the group known as ‘SA Indian defence officers club’ have sought their inclusion under Indian ex-servicemen contingent every year which has not been accepted.
They were refused on the grounds that the march is only for the ANZACS and those foreign veterans who fought with them as allies. India was a British colony when the war was fought.
‘We took the case with director of Veterans Affairs for us to participate in the March held every year
after realising that in other states it was happening,’ said Retired Major General Vikram Madan of the Club.
‘We already knew Indian veterans marching in WA and Victoria and for last two years we were aware of NSW Indian veterans marching,’ he added.
He said when the request was formally taken up with director of Veterans Affairs, also the chair of ANZAC Day Committee, they were refused and were offered to march in next of kin category if they, in the Indian community, had a direct descendant of a soldier at Gallipoli. ‘We would like to march next year and onwards under Commonwealth countries like in other states where Indian representation has been marching as Indian ex servicemen contingent,’ Madan said.
Meanwhile, RSL of Australia (SA Branch) which organises all major ANZAC Day activities in the state per an appointed ANZAC Day Committee, said, ‘Indian veterans of conflicts in which Australia and India served as allies have always been welcome to participate in our ANZAC Day March.’
RSL said in a statement an invitation to join the ANZAC Day march was extended to the broader Indian community in 2012 but added there was no place for simply marching as a group because the group have served in the armed forces of a country with which Australia were friends.
They were refused on the grounds that the march is only for the ANZACS and those foreign veterans who fought with them as allies. India was a British colony when the war was fought.
‘We took the case with director of Veterans Affairs for us to participate in the March held every year
after realising that in other states it was happening,’ said Retired Major General Vikram Madan of the Club.
‘We already knew Indian veterans marching in WA and Victoria and for last two years we were aware of NSW Indian veterans marching,’ he added.
He said when the request was formally taken up with director of Veterans Affairs, also the chair of ANZAC Day Committee, they were refused and were offered to march in next of kin category if they, in the Indian community, had a direct descendant of a soldier at Gallipoli. ‘We would like to march next year and onwards under Commonwealth countries like in other states where Indian representation has been marching as Indian ex servicemen contingent,’ Madan said.
Meanwhile, RSL of Australia (SA Branch) which organises all major ANZAC Day activities in the state per an appointed ANZAC Day Committee, said, ‘Indian veterans of conflicts in which Australia and India served as allies have always been welcome to participate in our ANZAC Day March.’
RSL said in a statement an invitation to join the ANZAC Day march was extended to the broader Indian community in 2012 but added there was no place for simply marching as a group because the group have served in the armed forces of a country with which Australia were friends.
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