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A
German professor has apologized for denying an internship to a male Indian
student, citing India’s “rape problem” as a reason for his disqualification. It
comes after Germany’s envoy wrote a scathing letter objecting to the
professor’s reasoning.
“I have made a mistake,”
wrote biochemistry Professor Annette Beck-Sickinger of the
University of Leipzig in a statement on Monday. “I sincerely apologize
to everyone whose feelings I have hurt.”
Her
apology follows a strongly worded letter sent by Germany’s ambassador to India, Michael
Steiner, who criticized the professor’s reasoning. “India is not a
country of rapists,” he
stated.
RT.com reports:
"It has been brought to my
attention that you denied an internship to a male Indian student, giving
"the rape problem in India"
as a
reason. Let me make it clear at the outset that I strongly object to this,”
Steiner wrote.
He
elaborated that the Nirbhaya case – when a 23-year-old girl was brutally
gang-raped aboard a Delhi bus in 2012 – has “refocused attention on the issue
of violence against women.” He said that rape is not only a problem
in India, and that the “Nirbhaya case has triggered a
lively honest, sustained and very healthy public debate - a public debate of a
quality that wouldn't be possible in many other countries.”
Steiner
added that the Indian government and Indian civil society organizations are
very committed to tackling the issue.
"I would encourage you to
learn more about the diverse, dynamic and fascinating country and the many
welcoming and open-minded people of India so that you could connect a
simplistic image, which – in my opinion – is particularly unsuitable for a
professor and teacher," he wrote.
According
to screenshots of the emails between the professor and the applicant, the
student was denied the placement because the professor did not “accept
any Indian male students for internships,” as she heard “a
lot about the rape problem in India.” The correspondence was posted
on question-sharing platform Quora on Sunday.
"I have many female friends
in my group, so I think this attitude is something I cannot support,"
Beck-Sickinger stated.
When
the student, who remains unnamed, asked why the professor was generalizing the
issue, she answered that it “may not apply to individuals.
However, it is also unbelievable that the Indian society is not able to solve
this problem for many years now. Reports reach Germany on a weekly base, and
especially these 'multi-rape crimes' are threatening, but for me also
demonstrate the attitude of a society towards women. Also female tourists are
kidnapped by groups of males and then abused.”
She
elaborated by stating that “many female professors in Germany
decided to no longer accept male Indian students for these reasons, and
currently other European female association are joining. Of course we cannot
change or influence the Indian society, but only take our consequences here in
Europe."
The incident comes after
the Indian government ordered last week to ban the broadcasting of 'India's
Daughter,' a documentary about the fatal Delhi gang-rape. The film sparked
debate in India, as it includes an interview with one of the convicted rapists,
Mukesh Singh, who blamed his victim for being responsible for the incident,
saying she shouldn't have been out at night and should not have fought back.
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