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Taslima Nasreen withdraws “objectionable” parts of book |
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Bangladesh author Taslima Nasreen has asked her publisher in Kolkata to delete controversial lines from her autobiographical novel Dwikhandita (Split into two). She has asked the publish¬erto withdraw all copies of the book from the market and ensure that the next edition does not contain them. The sections with¬drawn had references to Prophet Mohammad and Islam.
“I hope that my decision will settle the controversy raging over my book and I will be able to live in India and in West Bengal,” Nasreen said.
Nasreen left Kolkata for Jaipur on November 22, a day after violent demonstrations there, led by the All-India Minority Forum, demanding revocation of her visa.
She has been put up in “a safe place” for the past few days after she was escorted to Delhi from Rajasthan. Her security is being taken care of by the Centre.
Referring to her novel, the author said, “I had no intention to hurt anybody’s sentiments yet, some people in India, I be¬lieve, feel aggrieved. If that is so, I am deeply sorry,” Nasreen said.
In a statement in the Lok Sabha on November 28, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that India would continue to provide shelter to the author, but “it is also expected that guests [like Nasreen] will refrain from activities and expres¬sions that may hurt the sentiments of our people.”
Nasreen’s decision to delete the controversial lines appears related to Mukherjee’s observations. “I took it this [Friday] morning,” the author said.
“The book was written in 2002 based on my memories of Ban¬gladesh during the 1980s when secular values were removed from that country’s Constitution. Because I believe in secularism, I wanted it to remain in the Constitution but that was not to be,” she said.
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind general secretary Mahmood A. Madani on Friday urged Muslims to forgive Nasreen as she had withdrawn the “offensive” passages from her book.
Madani, who represents the Rashtriya Lok Dal in the Rajya Sabha, said the Prophet had always forgiven his enemies. “Now that Nasreen has removed the controversial passages, Muslims should follow the path of the Prophet and forgive her.” Madani said the matter should be treated as closed.
Earlier last week, the Congress revealed in New Delhi on Nov. 26 that the West Bengal government had opposed granting visa to Taslima Nasreen in 2004, but the Centre overruled the objec¬tions. The state government had said that her presence in West Bengal could have adverse impact on the law and order situation as some minority organisations were opposed to her stay.
A Congress spokesperson also said that the Centre was kept in the dark on Taslima Nasreen being moved from Kolkata to Jaipur and then to Delhi. The CPI(M) on its part said that it was the responsibility of the Centre to grant and extend her visa and decide on the place of her stay. CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury claimed that Taslima Nasreen went to Jaipur on her own. He said that she was not forced to leave Kolkata.
The BJP has accused the Congress and the Left parties of pandering to Islamic fundamentalists to garner votes. A meeting of party office bearers in New Delhi on Nov. 25 demanded that Taslima Nasreen should be given the status of a political refugee and treatment similar to that provided to Tibetan refugees in India.
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