Author: Nagendar Sharma
Publication: Hindustan Times
Date: January 9, 2008
URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/storypage/storypage.aspx?id=507e8401-4ba3-4bbb-b49d-33096eed529f
Seven top Muslim religious organisations have
asked the central government not to extend the visa of controversial Bangladeshi
writer, Taslima Nasreen, and have decided to meet Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh seeking strict action against her for hurting the religious sentiments
of Indians.
This is for the first time that Muslim organisations
have spelt out their stand since the controversy erupted in November when
protests in Kolkata were organized by groups close to the Left Front government
in West Bengal.
In a meeting on Tuesday, attended by leaders
of the seven organisations, including Jamaat-e-Islami Hind and Jamiat-e-Ulama
Hind, the Muslim leaders said Taslima had no right to stay in India. "She
has been consistently writing against different religions in India. Taslima
has shown disrespect to the country and we feel she is dangerous for humanity.
It is time for the Centre to take a concrete action," secretary of Jamiat-e-Ulama,
Maulana Abdul Hameed Noomani told HT.
He said the other organisations, whose representatives
could not attend the meeting have supported the demand for removal of objectionable
portions from Taslima's book Dwikhandito. Noomani charged the Bangladeshi
writer with undermining Islam and Hinduism, while expressing surprise at the
BJP for supporting her, saying "their stand was beyond reasonable understanding".
A delegation of Muslim leaders led by Jamiat-e-Ulama
leader and MP, Mahmood Madani would meet the prime minister to demand refusal
of Taslima's appeals for citizenship and visa extension. The organisation's
political secretary, Mujtaba Farooq said an all-religion meeting is being
convened on January 16 to inform all leaders about the controversial writer's
attitude towards religions practiced in India.
Interestingly the meeting preceded Information
and Broadcasting Minister, Priya Ranjan Das Munshi's statement in Kolkata
on Tuesday that Taslima should apologise to the country's Muslims for hurting
their sentiments, while hinting that her book Dwikhandito could be banned
in the country. However, it was not clear whether the minister's statement
was a follow-up to the meeting.
Meanwhile, Nasreen continues to be in a 'safe
house' in the national capital region (NCR), cut-off from the outside world.
She was shifted out of Kolkata on 22 November following a violent protest
by Muslim groups.
