Just five days ahead of voting for the Australian federal elections, the Liberal Party made a big announcement for the Indian Australian community in Melbourne.
Federal Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population, Alan Tudge announced, "Re-elected Morrison government will give $2.5 million towards building an Indian community centre in Victoria."
Location for the Indian community centre is yet to be decided but SBS Hindi understands it would be somewhere in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs.
This funding will be given to Australian Indian community charitable trust which will manage the project, said Minister Tudge.
However, within 24 hours of the Liberal party's announcement, Labor party pledged to match the funding of $2.5 million but with a twist.
Statement from the Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Australia and member of Watson, Tony Burke says, "A Shorten Labor Government will match the commitment of $2.5 million to the South Asian community to build community facilities."
"The South Asian community is a significant and growing community in Australia. This funding will mean they can build new facilities or modernise existing ones," the statement reads.
Rishi Prabhakar, a member of the Indian community in Melbourne's western suburbs said, "This game of funding promise has to stop. We are still waiting for an Indian cultural precinct promised by both Labor and the Liberal."
"How can Labor conveniently say we are matching the Indian Community Centre funding by liberals but will name it South Asian Community funding," questions Mr Prabhakar.
Manoj Mansukhan, a senior executive with a multinational company in Melbourne, who has already cast his vote before these announcements were made says, "I welcome Indian community centre announcement. We desperately need one in Melbourne. But it might be too late too little to influence the vote."
"What they should have done was to have a well-defined policy to fulfil the needs of the fastest growing community but this seems to be an attempt to fool South Asians," added Mr Mansukhani.
Vikrant Kishore, a course director in the Film and Television department of Deakin University says, "Australian politicians recognising the needs of the Indian Australian community is a good thing but the community is tired of empty promises by both side of the politics," said Mr Kishore.
When questioned by SBS Hindi about the nature of the funding, Labor party issued a clarification saying, "The funding is principally for the Indian community but we have left room for partnerships."
