Taslima's plight evokes mixed reaction

Jaipur/New Delhi, Nov 25: The recent incidents surrounding exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen have evoked mixed responses here with few coming out in support of her, while others expressing their unhappiness over the controversial author's 'attack' against Islam. Nasreen is presently in the national capital after she was moved out of Kolkata and sent to Jaipur, and her plight has led to some social activists questioning the role of the West Bengal and Rajasthan governments.

"Is there no space left for her that Taslima Nasreen has being kicked off to Delhi? Our protest is against the West Bengal government, Rajasthan government and other orthodox groups who have held the country to ransom," says Kavita Srivastava, a social activist.

"It is unbearable that a writer of Taslima's stature had her right of expression and the right to live safely hampered with and we are here to protest that," she adds.

On Saturday hundreds of social activists in Jaipur took to streets and formed a human chain in support of the author's cause, who has been served a 'death warrant' by Muslim clerics for attacking Islam in her book 'Lajja'.

Political leaders like, Farooq Abdullah, who has also served as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir argues that Nasreen should 'respect' each religion.

"Attacking religion in any form is objectionable as far as India is concerned. If she wants to attack, she can go somewhere else but not in India. We are a country, which has got multiple religions, and in those multiple religions you have to respect each religion. If you don't respect them you are going to be in trouble," Abdullah said.

Meanwhile, the controversial author spoke to a private news channel and said that she was emotionally touched by the responses that she has been getting from the people in India.

''I miss my home, I miss my Kolkata. I don't want to leave India for any other country,'' a private TV channel quoted her, as saying.

On Thursday she had to leave her home in Kolkata and boarded a flight to Jaipur in a burqa, after her presence in the West Bengal capital sparked violent protests in the city.

However, the Rajasthan government also cited security reasons and sent her to the national capital within hours after she had reached Jaipur. The Centre has assured full protection to her.

Nasreen's visa to stay in India is valid till February 17, 2008, and she has been living in exile for more than ten years.

Since the 1990s, Nasreen has faced numerous threats from Islamic groups for her writings. Recently, she was attacked by activists of Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) at a book release function in Hyderabad.

The European Parliament awarded her the Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought in 1994.

ANI
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