Bengaluru: India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar has sprung to the defence of Indian student in the UK. 

He informed the house that India would champion the cause of India’s student against racism. 

"We will raise it whenever required and we will always champion the fight against racism and other forms of intolerance," he said. 

It was BJP MP Ashwini Vaishnav who raised concerns over the racism meted out to the Indian student Rashmi Samant. She is a student from Karnataka and former president-elect of Oxford University Student Union, was "cyberbullied to the point that she had to resign (from the post)." 

"Even the Hindu religious beliefs of her parents were publicly attacked by a faculty member," he said.

The external affairs minister added further, “As land of Mahatma Gandhi, we can never ever turn our eyes away from racism wherever it is. Particularly so when it is in a country where we have such a large diaspora. As a friend of the UK, we also have concerns about its reputational impact". 

"We have strong ties with the UK. We will take up such matters with great candour when required. New Delhi will monitor these developments very, very closely. 

Incidentally, it should be noted that these comments were made just days after India summoned British High Commissioner over an "unwarranted discussion" in the British Parliament on agricultural reforms in India, Hindustan Times notes.