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New Delhi, May 30 (IANS) Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has turned down an honorary doctorate from an Australian university for his contribution to the world of entertainment following a string of racial attacks on Indian students there, the actor said on his blog.
The 66-year-old last week agreed to accept the honour from the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, but has now reconsidered his decision. He was to receive the doctorate in July as a part of celebrations to commemorate a retrospective of his films to be inaugurated in the city.
“I mean no disrespect to the institution that honours me, but under the present circumstances, where citizens of my own country are subjected to such acts of inhuman horror, my conscience does not permit me to accept this decoration from a country that perpetrates such indignity to my fellow countrymen,” Amitabh posted on his blog www.bigb.bigadda.com.
The actor has asked his “extended family (EF)” – members of his blog – to decide if his move was justified or not.
“Am I right in thinking so? And if yes, then is my act of refusing the honour justified or not? I shall put this up as my poll question and shall feel obliged if EF can indicate to me their opinion, for me to be able to take the correct action,” he said.
Australia has seen a series of racial attacks on Indian students.
The most horrific case was that of Shravan Kumar, an automobile engineering student from Andhra Pradesh who is battling for life after being attacked by two youths Sunday afternoon in Melbourne.
On Sunday night, hospitality graduate Rajesh Kumar received 30 percent burns after a petrol bomb was flung into his home in Sydney that he shared with other Indians.
Yadu Singh, a cardiologist and community leader in Sydney, said there have been at least 20 incidents of “curry bashing” in his city in the past month but most attacks on Indian students went unreported out of fear.
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Housefull ATTBB,
BOI claimed 43 cr for SIK and 45 cr for RNBDJ..Then they cgnaged it to 39 cr for SIK ...
Agreed that Akki movies have been below par stuff since some time but Karan should also first make better movies.
As ...
stop joking ihab.BOI said 43.77 crores for sik and 42 crores for rnbdj.Then they changed all the numbers.This was discussed ...
This year Akshay will give a reply to his distractors. While Karan's friends have started deserting his camp (Read Farha ...
Ihab
its ok.i did not find lakshya engaging enough.i liked it in parts.It was too slow and boring in second half. 
" Ihab,since you like Hrithik, would you like to elaborate on you watching Krrish 16 times in Theatres . "
Lol, ...
From being most common bird to their total disappearance from cities within a very short span of time (last 10-15 ...
what i comment about is my prerogative manoj - whether it disturbs you or not isnt my concern :-) 
Brian Charles 30 May 2009
11:44:42 am
Good decision by Big B.
Atleast 90% of these indian immigrants are legal people, and its not as if the australian government didnt know that people are coming, after all they are the ones who are ones who gave the visa’s.
Its high time indians took some stand here, first of all fire all the australian criketers from IPL(its an indian league by the way, will you ever see a arabian/middle eastern looking person in NBA) and indian film-makers should stop going to australia for making movies.
I hate to generalise people but this is too much and atleast we can do better than trying to camouflaging racial abusing(KKR case), just for some monetary benefits.
S T R E E T 30 May 2009
11:45:58 am
way to go Amitabh… great stance there.
S T R E E T 30 May 2009
11:51:22 am
What pisses me off the most is that we go out of our way when we treat these folks… be extra nice to them.. when they do the exact opposite time and again.
I dont wanna generalise people.. and nor am I propsing that Australians that come to India should be be beaten to death (grossly unfair) but stop the over-appeasement. How many Australians shoot their movies, music videos in India??
neelu 30 May 2009
12:15:44 pm
Australia is one of the most racist countries I have seen. For the longest time they had a white’s only immigration policy. Let us not forget that the dregs of British society – criminals and murderers were sent to set up this penal colony. I have seen complete and total harassment of any non-white (including Indians and Chinese) at the airport when you enter Australia. It is very institutionalized. Give me New Zealand any day – civilized and not racist. When there was a coup in Fiji and many Indians fled en masse on ships, the Australian government refused to give them refugee status or docking rights and it was NZ that allowed them entry so they could get off the boats.
Bold decision by Big B, I salute him – but it needs to be followed up with more official protests that will cause the racist government to take some action.
S T R E E T 30 May 2009
12:18:36 pm
“For the longest time they had a white’s only immigration policy”
Why am I am not surprised?
S T R E E T 30 May 2009
12:21:14 pm
damn.. we should have an edit option. I make so many typo mistakes.
RAJ 30 May 2009
10:43:23 pm
I appreciate BIG B’s Stand on the entire issue….Agree to Brain Charles to a large extent
Rocky 1 June 2009
01:27:13 pm
Shobha De’s take -
I am so glad Amitabh took a position on the Aussie racist attacks. More super celebrities in that league ought to put their own selfish agendas on hold in the larger public interest. By turning down the doctorate offered by a university in Queensland ( or at any rate , rescheduling it), Bachchan has sent out the right signal. You can’t abuse our students, attack them verbally and physically and then honour our cinema icon at the same time.
I must say I was horrified and deeply disappointed by what’s been happening Down Under. There’s simply no excuse, no justification. The truth of the matter is that our students out perform locals wherever they go, are smarter and more affluent than the rest. It is jealousy at its most basic that leads to such attacks. Australia has always been amongst my top ten travel destinations. I have been there several times and enjoyed every minute of my stay. I guess the time has come for Indians to rethink their plans of visiting this amazing continent. Why go some place you aren’t welcome? Our student population was second only to the Chinese, the numbers were growing, and that’s going to take a big hit. Too bloody bad for Australia.
http://shobhaade.blogspot.com/