Germany hedges bets on Modi

Against the backdrop of the European Union ending its decade-old boycott of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi,Germany Tuesday refused to be drawn into a debate whether or not it was willing to do business with the BJP leader in view of human rights issues.

“The question whether we talk to Modi or not has nothing to do with our position on human rights or rights of women. We don’t want to continue that debate,” German Ambassador Michael Steiner said in Delhi at a briefing during an event being organised by German Embassy to commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8.

Steiner was asked whether it was not contradictory for the German government to speak about women rights issues and at the same time supporting Modi under whose chief ministership the women suffered a lot during the 2002 communal riots.

He was also reminded of Modi’s controversial comments in August last year when he attributed high rate of malnutrition in his state to figure-conscious young girls.

Steiner said Modi had been an elected Chief Minister for the third time and that the courts were occupied with riots cases for 10 years.