A Rajasthani community organisation has rejected Queensland MP Robbie Katter’s comments linking Hinduism and caste to migration selection, arguing people should be judged on their conduct and commitment to Australia rather than their faith.
Association of Australian Rajasthani Inc. president Arix Bishnoi responded on Friday after Katter told ABC Radio Brisbane that Australia should consider religious values when deciding who it admits and singled out what he called the “Hindu class system”.
“We do not seek special treatment,” Bishnoi said. “We ask only that members of our community be afforded the same opportunity as everyone else, to be judged on their conduct, contribution, character and commitment to Australia, rather than assumptions about their religion, culture or ancestry.”
Katter, the leader of Katter’s Australian Party, had said migration selection should not be based on skin colour or race, but agreed when asked whether religion should be considered.
“I think Christian values is a good starting point,” Katter said.
He then said: “The Hindu class system is probably something I don’t want to import into Australia and have it dominant impact on Australian politics.”
Katter also said there should be “a bias in the way we bring people in”, arguing his concern was preserving an egalitarian society in which people could advance regardless of their background.
Bishnoi said AOARI accepted that caste discrimination was a serious issue and should be confronted wherever it occurred, but disputed any suggestion that caste should be treated as synonymous with Hindu identity.
Bishnoi said caste discrimination should be addressed wherever it occurs, but warned against equating caste with Hindu identity or judging an entire religious or cultural community by the actions of individuals
“Caste discrimination is a serious social issue wherever it occurs and should be addressed appropriately,” he said.
“At the same time, it is important to recognise the diversity and complexity of South Asian societies. Caste-based discrimination should not automatically be equated with Hindu identity, nor should the actions or attitudes of some individuals be used to characterise an entire religious or cultural community.”
That distinction goes to the centre of the argument raised by Katter.
Australia’s existing migration and citizenship framework requires visa applicants to accept values including freedom of religion, equality of opportunity and the rule of law. Home Affairs says Australian laws prevail over any inconsistent religious or secular rules and that freedom of religion includes the freedom not to practise a religion.
Home Affairs citizenship material is also explicit that Australia has no official national religion and says religious intolerance is not acceptable, while people should have equal opportunity regardless of ethnicity or religion provided they obey Australian law.
Bishnoi argued that framework provided the appropriate basis for dealing with discriminatory conduct.
“Where any individual engages in discriminatory or unlawful conduct, that conduct should be addressed on its merits, regardless of the person’s religion, ethnicity or background,” he said.
His concern, he said, arose when a person’s religious identity itself became part of an assessment about whether they were a desirable migrant.
“Australia has the sovereign right to determine its migration policies and establish appropriate lawful and objective criteria for people seeking to enter and remain in the country,” Bishnoi said.
“Those criteria should focus on matters relevant to Australia’s laws, institutions, civic principles and community wellbeing, not assumptions about a person’s suitability based on their religious identity.”
Katter’s comments have widened a migration debate that until recently has largely centred on numbers, housing, skills shortages and temporary visas.
“AOARI believes that Australia’s multicultural model is strongest when people are able to maintain their cultural and religious identities while sharing a common commitment to Australian law, equality, mutual respect and social harmony”
Labor this week unveiled changes covering international students, visa hopping, working holiday makers and unlawful non-citizens as it seeks to bring net overseas migration down further. One Nation is proposing much deeper reductions, while the Coalition is developing its own lower migration policy.
Katter has moved beyond the argument over how many people Australia should accept and raised the question of whether faith should influence which applicants are preferred.
AOARI said that approach risked placing suspicion on an entire community rather than dealing with particular behaviour.
“If there are legitimate concerns about caste discrimination or any other form of discrimination, the appropriate response is to address the conduct wherever it occurs, rather than placing suspicion upon an entire religious or cultural community,” Bishnoi said.
He pointed to the contribution of Hindus and Australians of Rajasthani background across medicine, nursing, engineering, education, business and community organisations.
“Australian Hindus, including members of the Rajasthani community, are an integral part of Australia’s multicultural society,” he said.
“We work, operate businesses, educate our children, contribute to the economy, volunteer in our communities and participate fully in Australian life.”
Home Affairs describes Australia as a diverse society built around shared civic values including democracy, freedom and equal opportunity, noting that residents have migrated from more than 200 countries and brought a wide range of religions, languages and cultural traditions.
Bishnoi said AOARI supported that model and did not argue that cultural or religious practices should sit above Australian law.
“AOARI believes that Australia’s multicultural model is strongest when people are able to maintain their cultural and religious identities while sharing a common commitment to Australian law, equality, mutual respect and social harmony,” he said.
The association said it remained willing to engage with politicians about migration, integration and discrimination, but wanted those debates based on evidence rather than generalisations about communities.
“We therefore respectfully reject any attempt to single out Hinduism, Hindus or the Rajasthani community for suspicion or disadvantage based on assumptions about caste or religious identity,” Bishnoi said.
“Judge people by their actions, their contribution and their commitment to Australia, not by the faith into which they were born or the ancestry they inherit.”
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