Taslima longs to go back to her 'home' in Kolkata
New Delhi, Nov 25: Breaking her silence, controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, presently lodged in Rajasthan House here, today said she longed to go back to Kolkata which she takes as her ''home''.
Ms Nasreen was taken out of Kolkata on Thursday following mob violence in the state and flown to Jaipur from where she was shifted to the Rajasthan House.
Speaking to a private channel, Ms Nasreen refused to take any questions saying she did not want any further controversy.
However, she said, ''I miss my home, I miss my Kolkata,'' adding that she was confident of going back to the state very soon.
Presently, she is staying at the Rajasthan House with her brother where entry of mediapersons' has been restricted.
According to the channel, Ms Nasreen and her brother had spent the past 24 hours glued to the televison watching news in Bangla, about themselves and public opinion on the street in Kolkata.
Ms Nasreen said she left Kolkata with a small bag and a laptop and had not even had time to lock her home because she was told she would be back in two days. She could not wait to get back home, she added.
The writer said the past two days had been emotionally traumatic and she was touched by the support of the people.
''I donot want to leave India for any other country,'' she said.
According to sources, the West Bengal police told Ms Nasreen she would be in Jaipur for two days. However, she would be placed under the charge of the Centre today, they added.
Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria said the state government is waiting for the Centre to take over the responsibility for deciding what next for Taslima.
All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushwarat(AIMMM), meanwhile, suggested to the Central government that it should advsie her to leave the country at the earliest.
However, the Muslim organisation added ''even if Taslima Nasreen is allowed to be in India upto the date of expiry of her visa, she may be advised to lie low and not to make any provocative statements and leave the country peacefully, if extension refused, for a destination of her choice.'' The AIMMM, at the same time, welcomed the 'second thought' by the West Begal government on the continued residence of Taslima in Kolkata. However, both state and Central governments have failed to clarify the correct constitutional, legal and administrative aspects of her case, AIMMM leader Syed Shahabuddin said.
He clarified that the final authority of granting extension to her visa ''rests with the Union government'' and no foreign national had the right to enter or seek a residence visa which was subject to conditions like 'purpose of granting the visa' and that the person does not pose a law and order problem.
UNI