Headlines
Student denied internship in Germany over 'rape problem' in India
New Delhi, March 9
A professor from Leipzig
University in Germany denied internship to an Indian male student citing
the "rape problem" in India, but later offered an apology when
Germany's ambassador to India intervened and suggested the professor
needed to "learn more about the diverse, dynamic and fascinating"
country.
The screenshots of email replies to the Indian student
by professor Annette Beck-Sickinger of Leipzig's Institute of
Biochemistry had gone viral on various social networking websites with
many questioning their authenticity.
"Unfortunately I don't
accept any Indian male students for internships. We hear a lot about the
rape problem in India which I cannot support. I have many female
students in my group, so I think this attitude is something I cannot
support (sic)," read the screenshot of an email sent by the professor.
"Many
female professors in Germany decided to no longer accept male 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," read another email
Beck-Sickinger wrote to the student.
But soon after the German
embassy in India on Monday uploaded a letter by Germany's ambassador to
India Michael Steiner on its website, there was no doubt about the
authenticity of the emails.
In a scathing letter to the
professor, Steiner wrote: "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 correct a simplistic
image, which -- in my opinion -- is particularly unsuitable for a
professor and teacher."
Later, Beck-Sickinger said she was sorry about the emails.
"Of
course I have nothing against male Indians and I have accepted several
Indian students in the past," The Huffington Post reported her as
saying.
"However my lab is full and I currently cannot take any
student. This led to an unpleasant discussion with one of the Indian
students," she said.