Australia is facing a political storm after comments by opposition senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price targeting the Indian community drew sharp backlash. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday demanded an apology, saying her remarks were “hurtful, untrue, and divisive.”

Price, a Liberal Party lawmaker, suggested in a radio interview last week that an “unsustainable” number of Indians were being allowed into the country and implied that their votes favored Albanese’s Labor government. The comments came in the wake of nationwide anti-immigrant protests that partly blamed Indian migration for rising living costs.

Her statements triggered outrage among one of Australia’s largest minority groups, with members of the Indian diaspora condemning them as racially charged. Calls for an apology have also emerged from within her own party ranks.

“People in the Indian community are hurting,” Albanese told the ABC broadcaster. “The comments are simply not true and have caused pain. Senator Price should apologise, as even her colleagues are urging her to do.”

According to government data, around 845,800 Indian-born people lived in Australia in 2023, more than double the figure a decade ago. In addition, hundreds of thousands of Australian-born citizens trace their ancestry to India, making the community an integral part of the nation’s multicultural fabric.

Responding to the uproar, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns convened a meeting of community leaders to address what he described as growing anti-Indian sentiment. “We stand with the Australian-Indian community. Racist rhetoric and false claims have no place in our state or country,” Minns declared.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed last week that it was in touch with Canberra over the rise in hostile rhetoric following recent protests.

The episode underscores the sensitivity of immigration in Australia’s political discourse and the importance of safeguarding multicultural harmony.

Australia is facing a political storm after comments by opposition senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price targeting the Indian community drew sharp backlash. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday demanded an apology, saying her remarks were “hurtful, untrue, and divisive.”

Price, a Liberal Party lawmaker, suggested in a radio interview last week that an “unsustainable” number of Indians were being allowed into the country and implied that their votes favored Albanese’s Labor government. The comments came in the wake of nationwide anti-immigrant protests that partly blamed Indian migration for rising living costs.

Her statements triggered outrage among one of Australia’s largest minority groups, with members of the Indian diaspora condemning them as racially charged. Calls for an apology have also emerged from within her own party ranks.

“People in the Indian community are hurting,” Albanese told the ABC broadcaster. “The comments are simply not true and have caused pain. Senator Price should apologise, as even her colleagues are urging her to do.”

According to government data, around 845,800 Indian-born people lived in Australia in 2023, more than double the figure a decade ago. In addition, hundreds of thousands of Australian-born citizens trace their ancestry to India, making the community an integral part of the nation’s multicultural fabric.

Responding to the uproar, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns convened a meeting of community leaders to address what he described as growing anti-Indian sentiment. “We stand with the Australian-Indian community. Racist rhetoric and false claims have no place in our state or country,” Minns declared.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed last week that it was in touch with Canberra over the rise in hostile rhetoric following recent protests.

The episode underscores the sensitivity of immigration in Australia’s political discourse and the importance of safeguarding multicultural harmony.