Attack on Taslima is an attack on Freedom of Expression

NI Wire

Hyderabad

Thu, 09 Aug 2007: 

Aug 09: Today, in a shocking incident some of the Muslim hardliners in Hyderabad attacked the eminent Bangla author Taslima Nasreen. The incident took place in the afternoowhile she was addressing media persons on the occasion of the release of her new book in Hyderabad Press Club.

Three MLAs belonging to the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) party and some activists who started throwing bouquets at Taslima’s face and also flung chair at her. All this happened in front of the media persons and police personnel who later took Taslima out of the press club. She has some injuries on her forehead.

The main accused is an MLA of MIM party named Afsar Khan who was the first to attack the respected writer. The police later detained three MLAs of the same party and few other activists involved in this non-sense act.

Information and broadcast minister Priyaranjan Dash Munshi has strongly condemned the attack saying, “Govt. can’t tolerate such inhospitable act even against a foreigner as it is a direct attack on the freedom of speech and expression in a democratic country like India.”

However, Afsar Khan said that my government supports our action against people who defame Islam. Taslima has insulted the faith, prophet and the religion of Islam, he added. Justifying this attack on Taslima, top party leaders mentioned that wherever Taslima will go in the city she will get the same treatment.

Taslima Nasreen is a Bangladeshi national who is now under exile for her attack on fundamentalism of Islam. As a feminist, human rights activist, she has continuously fought for the equal rights for women and her writings primarily illustrate her opposition to the tyranny of non-Islamic minorities in Muslim society. This is the primary reason that Muslim nation Bangladesh has barred her entry to the nation, though she still retains the citizenship of the country.

Her approach to Muslims and Islam is strongly opposed by Muslim fundamentalists who had given numerous death threats to the writer. Though she is not the citizen of India and seeks asylum only, still she is entitled to the protection under article 21 of the constitution of India.

This is to be known that Indian government does not accord ‘refugee status’ to foreigners for lack of any such international treaty on the issue and does not provide any fundamental rights to the people seeking refuge in the country but recently the Supreme Court has said that foreigners living in India are entitled to the protection of the right to life and liberty as guaranteed by Article 21 of the constitution.

Judiciary assured that it recognizes the refugee status of such people.