BJP seeks apology from German team on Modi remarks

Nearly 400 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists demonstrated outside the German consulate here Tuesday to protest "provocative" statements by members of a German parliamentary delegation against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Nearly 400 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists demonstrated outside the German consulate here Tuesday to protest "provocative" statements by members of a German parliamentary delegation against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

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"A team of delegates consisting German members of parliament belonging to Christian Democratic Union (CDU) visited Gujarat a few days back. Although this delegation was on an unofficial visit, a few members passed comments on the anti-conversion law passed by the Gujarat assembly," said Atul Bhatkalkar, Mumbai unit general secretary of the BJP.

Bhatkalkar, with other members of the party, also met German Consul General Walter Spechel and submitted to him a memorandum demanding a retraction of the remarks and an unconditional apology from the delegation members.

"They should not be commenting on the laws enacted by the sovereign republic of India," he added.

The BJP activists raised slogans slamming the German delegates outside the consulate office at Nariman Point in south Mumbai.

Bhatkalkar said Spechel assured them he would look into the matter.

The German delegation members, who visited Gujarat to study the status of minorities, reportedly justified the European Union's earlier decision of not granting a visa to Modi.