This is the most shameful scenario whereby the University of another Country denies the internship to the student from India on the pretext of “RAPE PROBLEM” in India. How mush justified is that? However there is one more angle which enlightens us of the image our country carries on the international level. According to the sources An Indian student has accused a professor at one of Germany’s oldest universities of denying him a biochemistry internship because of the “rape problem in India”. The matter came to light after a colleague of the Indian student posted emails exchanged between Annette G Beck-Sickinger, the professor at Leipzig University, and the student on the question-and-answer website Quora. Both the student and the colleague did not identify themselves.
The incident comes in the midst of a renewed debate over the country’s poor record in women’s safety, especially after the controversy generated by the banned documentary, India’s Daughter, which purportedly highlights the misogynist mindset of India’s men. By Monday evening, another student came forward to tell the media that Beck-Sickinger had refused his PhD application in March 2014. In an email purportedly sent by the professor to this student, she wrote she no longer accepted “any male Indian guests, trainees, doctoral students, or post docs due to the severe rape problem in India”. Although the German ambassador Michael Steiner reacted strongly to the professor’s denial of internship and endorsed India’s efforts to deal with violence against women.
Leipzig University was founded in 1409, making it one of Germany’s oldest universities. Its website describes it as an “interdisciplinary, international comprehensive university” that was placed among the top 25 in Germany for four consecutive years by a global ranking agency. In a letter to Beck-Sickinger, which was made public, German ambassador Steiner said, “Your oversimplifying and discriminating generalisation is an offense to these women and men ardently committed to furthering women empowerment in India; and it is an offense to millions of law-abiding, tolerant, open-minded and hard-working Indians. “Let’s be clear: India is not a country of rapists. 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,” Steiner added.
Following the condemnation of incident by German ambassador the professor of the university apologised for refusing an Indian male student an internship because of his country`s “rape problem”. It may be noted that the last week, the Indian government barred screening of India’s Daughter,’ a documentary by British filmmaker Leslee Udwin on the brutal gang-rape of a young student in December 2012. Despite the ban, the film has been viewed on the internet by many Indians, triggering a fresh debate on rape and steps to counter violence against women and the mindset behind such attacks. This could also be one reason why this kind of situation has occurred.
The apology can keep the countries diplomacy intact but it may not change the mindset of the people across the world against the situation prevailing in India. Only the strict action on crime against the women and freedom of speech and action will generate the clean image of our country in the world. Please leave your comments and views on this feature.
