In a recent article in Sunday Herald Sun, FIAV president Vasan Srinivasan reportedly claimed that the Indian consulate and Cambridge College were active in providing assistance to Manrajwinder Singh, the victim of a vicious attack in Melbourne, and his family. Responding to these claims by the FIAV president, Darebin councillor Tim Singh has written to the Australian press questioning the truth of Vasan’s claims. Councillor Singh emailed a copy of the letter to The Indian Sun.
Below is Tim Singh’s letter.
“I am the ward councillor in Darebin assisting Yadwinder Singh, a resident of Reservoir and the brother of Manrajwinder Singh, who lies in a coma after an attack in Melbourne.
Your story to day by ELLEN WHINNETT AND TAWQEER HUSSAIN story has a claim by Vasan Srivasan that Cambridge College is assisting.
So far neither Yadwinder nor myself have got anything more that an auto email saying the College is shut.
We need the college to refund the $7,000—$8,000 in fees to help Yadwinder and his brother.
There were two other Cambridge College students who were victims of the attack.
One has injuries and the other ran for help. Both are traumatised.
I think your paper should have carried a disclaimer that Vasan Srivasan has been running a recruitment business, and if he has had commercial dealings with Cambridge College [that should’ve been mentioned too] before making unsubstantiated claims about their actions.
I hope when the Cambridge College office opens on 6/1/13 that they return both Yadwinder’s calls and my calls because they have not supplied a welfare officer to date.
I am happy to put you in direct contact with Yadwinder.
My wife and my father were both International students and I have experience in the northern suburbs assisting hundreds of students and cab drivers since I was first elected in 1996.
It is a pity after all these years we still cannot get things right for international students in terms of welfare. Most attacks occur on weekends and during the summer break. These private colleges make millions out of hopeful international students – they need to have emergency after-hours numbers at the very least.
I look forward to hearing form Cambridge College directly that they will refund in cash the fees for all 3 who were attacked. I am told that the former Liberal State Minister Phil Honeywood was a director or spokesperson of this College in the past. I hope these types of links to the political elite in Victoria make them act promptly in this case.
Cr Tim Singh Laurence
Former Mayor City of Darebin 2000-2001. 2012-2013
Merrilands Ward Councillor 1996-1998, 1998 -2002
La Trobe Ward Councillor 2008-2012, 2012 – present
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