Visa extended for Taslima Nasrin for next six months

With demand from social activists and radical Muslim groups, the Home Ministry of India, finally considered to extend the visa of controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin to reside in the country for another six months.

After amid protest from Muslim organisation against the writings of Taslima Nasrin, which attacks the essence of Muslim religion, the radical Muslim organisation since a long have been putting pressure on the Central government not to provide safe place for allegedly hurting their religious sentiments.

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Nasrin’s visa which was due to expire on Sunday (Feb 17) is now extended for another six months though the Centre has not specified the duration of the fresh visa.

Nasrin who is presently staying in the capital Delhi after stiff protest from the West Bengal state of which a quarter of the population is Muslim. They have been objecting to Taslima’s book Dwikhondito – an autobiographical series that created major controversy over some offended remarks on Muslim religion.

The novel was banned by the West Bengal government though she later agreed to withdraw those controversial lines that cause offence to her own religion and hurts the sentiments of the particular religion.

Earlier the All India Minority Forum had appealed the Centre not to extend the visa period considering the sentiments of Muslims in the country.

The government not only extended the visa but also has extended a word of caution that as a guest to India one should be sensitive towards India’s tradition and custom and in no way conduct activities that either affects its relation with other country or hurts the secular fabric.

Taslima was forced to leave the city Kolkata after large scale violent protest on November last year and as a result the Centre had deployed army personnel to maintain law and order in the city.

She was first moved to Jaipur and then to Delhi and has been living in the capital in an undisclosed place for security reasons.

After her book Lajja in 1994 which created uproar not only in Bangladesh but even other part of the Muslim world. The book was a chronicler of the event and atrocities on Hindu communities living in Bangladesh after Babri Masjid demolition. She lived in exile in Sweden and other countries. She is accused of blasphemy and carry a fatwa on her head.

Intellectuals from different corner of the world has voiced for her concern and on her freedom of speech.