Political pressure problem staying in Kolkata for long:Taslima

Guwahati, Jan 5 (UNI) With her resident permit to stay in West Bengal expiring mid-February, exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin doubts if Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya will extend it.

If the Muslim fundamentalists in Bangladesh made Taslima Nasrin flee home more than a decade back, the same class is again pitted against her when she hoped of setting up a home away from home in the culturally and linguistically similar West Bengal.

Her resident permit in West Bengal, where she had been living in the capital city of Kolkata for the past few years, expires mid-February. But the internationally acclaimed writer today sounded pessimistic about renewal or extension of the same by the state government.

She had also appealed for Indian citizenship. ''But it was rejected, notwithstanding the public wave in favour of it,'' she said.

''The Muslim fundamentalists in West Bengal are against me. I doubt very much, if Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya will write for extension of my permit,'' she added.

She pointed out that the Communist government there banked on the Muslim votes for retaining power and would not be willing to antagonise their ''favoured vote bank''.

She also dismissed any chances of being allowed into her country after change of guards the impending elections.

Ms Nasrin was in the city today to inaugurate a compilation of plays, 'Challenge', by a police officer of Asom, Bipulananda Choudhury, who expired a couple of weeks back in a road accident.

She paid homage to the departed soul by reciting a self-composed poem in Mr Choudhury's memory, adding that she was pained at his untimely demise after learning about his dream of bringing about a change.

Ms Nasrin, on her maiden visit to the state, reminisced of her home, childhood, teenage and parents as the geographical proximity with Bangladesh of North East refreshed her days at home in Mymensingh district of Bangladesh.

She said, ''I gazed at the Brahmaputra river for a long time today. It is the same river that flows to my country where I had grown up.'' The writer, whose books were banned on allegations of hurting religious sentiments when she dared to bring out the humiliations and abuses meted out to girls in Muslim societies, had been in exile from her motherland Bangladesh for the last 12 years.

She recalled her days spent in the countries of North Europe, when she would feast on fish curry and rice to put aside her yearning to be back home.

She said,''I felt home in Kolkata. The language and the culture is same as my country. But I will have to leave this short-found happiness for political reasons.'' ''If I have to leave India also, I don't know where I will go,'' she said, adding, ''I accept all the praises and criticisms coming on my way. But I will never compromise on what is right.'' UNI