India reacts to the African diplomatic community's boycott of this year's Africa Day celebrations. The African community in India has decided to boycott the annual celebrations in protest over the murder of a Congolese national in the capital and other "attacks and harassment' of African students and others in various parts of the country. The community has sought strong action on the part of the government.


External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweets on the issue saying, "Have asked my colleague VK Singh to meet the heads of missions of African countries in Delhi and assure them of the Indian Government's commitment to the safety and security of African nationals in India. General V.K.Singh will also hold meetings with African students in metro cities to assure them of their safety and security."

"I have already asked Lt Governor of Delhi to take steps and ensure that this case is tried by a Fast Track Court. I would like to assure African students in India that this an unfortunate and painful incident involving local goons," she tweeted.

Even as the Modi government wants more African students to come and study in India, African heads of missions, who met in emergency session Tuesday, said the climate of fear and insecurity in Delhi was forcing the African heads of mission ' with little option than to consider recommending their governments not to send new students to India, unless and until their safety can be granted'.

"The Group of African Heads of Mission have met and deliberated extensively on this latest incidence in the series of attacks to which members of the African community have been subjected to in the last several years," a statement by Ambassador of Eritrea Alem Tsehage Woldemariam, who is also dean of the Group of African Heads of Mission, said late Tuesday night.