Taslima disappointed with Indian govt's decision

Kochi, Aug 21 (UNI) Controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen today said she was extremely disappointed by the Indian Government's decision to grant her only a six-month tourist visa and, added that she would ask for a one-year resident permit after the tourist visa expires in February next year.

Taslima, who arrived here earlier today to attend the release of the Malayalam version of four of her books in Thrissur on August 24, called on Kamala Suraiyya this afternoon.

Taslima, who has been living in exile in India since a 'fatwa' against her in Bangladesh nearly 12 years ago, met reporters here at the house of noted writer Kamala Suraiyya.

Indicating that she would like to go back to Bangladesh, she said the government there did not allow her to return. I do not know what will happen if I try to go back, she added.

Meanwhile, the publisher of the Malayalam version of her books, said a move was afoot to secure an appeal from leading writers in Kerala to the Indian Government to grant Taslima permanent resident visa in the country.

Talking about the repeated ban on her books by the Bangladesh government and the 'fatwa' issued against her, Taslima said that she did not hide anything and those in authority did not want her to talk about the real issues.

She alleged, men think that it was only their right to talk about reality and when a woman wrote about those things, she would get targeted.

She said it was surprising that some intellectuals in West Bengal had got the state government to ban her book 'Dwinkhandito' two years after it was published. Such a move was surprising, considering it came from writers and intellectuals. The Kolkata High Court had overturned the ban last year.

Managing Director of Green Books Krishna Das said that his publishing house was coming out with the first 'authorised translation' of Taslima's books in Malayalam. The four books, to be released at a function at the Sahitya Akademi Hall at Thrissur on August 24 are 'Lajja', 'Kalyani' (original 'Phera'), 'Anthasulla Nunakkal (Shodh) and 'Ende Penne Kuttikalam' (Amar Meyebela).

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