When PM Modi was ‘grilled’ in Germany over attacks on Muslims, Christians

In what is seen as a major dent in India’s reputation at international level, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Germany was in fact 'grilled' by Angela Merkel over the escalation of violence against Muslims and Christians since 2014

New Delhi: In what is seen as a major dent in India’s reputation at international level, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Germany was in fact “grilled” by Angele Merkel over the escalation of violence against Muslims and Christians since 2014.

Narendra Modi came to power in Delhi in May 2014, and it is alleged that the religious freedom has taken back seat and attacks on minorities, especially Muslims and Christians, in India under him have escalated seat since then.

In her 600-page autobiography Freedom: Memoirs 1954-2021 released recently, former German Chancellor Angele Merkel recalled raising the issue with PM Modi during his visit to Germany.

Angele Merkel wrote that PM Modi tried to ignore the seriousness of the matter by distraction but she confronted pointing to him the ground realities.

“I followed with concern the reports that, since Modi had taken office, an increasing number of members of other religions, predominantly Muslims and Christians, were being attacked by Hindu nationalists,” Angela Merkel wrote in her memoir.

She added that when she broached the subject, Modi “vehemently denied it and emphasised that India was and would remain a country of religious tolerance”.
Angele Merkel however said she was not convinced, and told Modi:

“Unfortunately, the facts said otherwise. We were unable to agree on this point. My worries remained — religious freedom is, after all, a key component of every democracy,” she wrote, in the chapter Serving Germany on her meetings with world leaders.

Incidentally, the Merkel memoirs have been released at the time when Germany’s former Ambassador to India Walter Lindner in his book What the West Should Learn from India also expressed similar concerns about communal polarisation in the country.

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