New Delhi:
A BJP team today called on the German embassy to register its protest against remarks made by German parliamentarians describing Narendra Modi as a dictator. The BJP is upset at Modi reportedly being compared to Adolf Hitler by the German lawmakers.
German officials assured the delegation that their grievance would be conveyed to the government and the MPs concerned.
But they also distanced themselves from the remarks saying German parliamentarians travel freely and speak on their own behalf.
BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman, said the German officials were utterly shocked at the development and distanced themselves from the remarks which were made by this team, "particularly in that remark where, apparently, as reported, the delegation equated Mr Narendra Modi to Hitler. I do not know if the delegation said it or not, but it was reported as what the German Embassy themselves said. Either way, if it was reported and in case it was said, we took very serious objection to it."
The Geman lawmakers, whose visit was supported by 'Missio', a Christian Catholic Bishops Agency, had criticised Modi in connection with the state's new anti-conversion law and said it had made conversions difficult.
The members of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) of the ruling coalition of Germany had reportedly also justified the European Union's earlier decision of not granting a visa to Modi and reportedly said: "The Chief Minister of Gujarat has a radical tone to his politics and is described as dictatorial. He has a wrong perception of religious freedom." The MPs were reported to have said this during their visit to Ahmedabad on April 8.
The next day Modi wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding an apology from the delegation.
On Sunday, the party had demanded an apology from the German government for the "provocative" statements "Describing Modi as a dictator is intolerable.
Tarnishing the image of a democratically elected Chief Minister by visiting German officials is unacceptable," a BJP release had said.
(With PTI inputs)