A German professor at the University of Leipzig denied an internship for an Indian student, citing the “rape problem” in India. German ambassador Michael Steiner strongly objected to the “discriminating generalisation”. 

“Let’s be clear: India is not a country of rapists,” Steiner wrote a letter to Prof Dr Annette Beck-Sickinger, hours after the claim by the male student became public. He added, “I would encourage you to learn more about the country and the many 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.”

Beck-Sickinger said in an e-mail: “I currently have two male Indian students in my lab and trained four of them last fall, so I have nothing against Indian students. I apologise for any inconvenience or misunderstanding.” 

An e-mail by Prof Beck-Sickinger, who is at the Biochemistry department, reportedly said, “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 this attitude is something I cannot support.” In another e-mail, the professor said it is “unbelievable that the Indian society is not able to solve this problem for many years now”. 

By Premji