Haneef keen to return to Australia

Keeping his options open on the job offer made to him by Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef said he was keen to return to Australia after fighting for the visa, which now stands cancelled.

Speaking to reporters in Bangalore, the 27-year-old doctor said he was saddened by the fact that Australia had not reinstated his work visa, which would have enabled him to return as a doctor at the Gold Coast Hospital in Queensland.

“I’d like to return to Australia. I want my visa back and I’ll fight for it”, he said before adding that he enjoyed working as a doctor at Gold Coast Hospital.

Haneef said he had no idea why the Australian Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews revoked his work visa though all charges against him had been dropped.

Earlier, Haneef called on Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy at the latter’s home office in Bangalore and expressed his gratitude for the offer of job made to him. “I will be keeping my options open on the Chief Minister’s offer of job in the health department and will respond at an appropriate time”,

Haneef also spoke out against the treatment meted out to him by the Australian authorities and sought an apology to the people of India. Though the Indian doctor, who had been detained in Australia for almost four weeks, did not expect an apology from the Australian Government, yet he would appreciate if they apologized to the citizens of India.

“I would appreciate if they apologize to my peace loving country and its citizens”, he said.

Fielding queries from reporters, Haneef said he was not a victim of international conspiracy. “I am not a victim of international conspiracy, but of an Australian conspiracy”, he said. When asked whether he was victimized because he was an Asian Muslim, he said: “There might be an element of that”.

Haneef also said that Islam means peace and he was a true follower of Islam. “I don’t want anyone to be victimized in the name of terrorism

Haneef’s lawyer Peter Russo, who was present on the occasion, too said the Australian authorities had victimized his client. “Haneef was contributing to the Australian society by working in the Gold Coast Hospital. He was detained without charge. The Australian authorities took away every single item from the unit where he stayed. If that does not make him feel victimized, I don’t know what else would”, he said.

While Haneef parried a question on whether he would sue the Australian Governmen, Russo said the matter had not even come on their “radar”. “We have not had an opportunity to sit and discuss it. We had bigger issues on hand”, Russo said.