Muslim leader threatens street protests if Taslima returns
Muslim leader threatens street protests if Taslima returns
Author: PTI
Publication: DNA (Daily News & Analysis)
Date: December 28, 2007
URL: http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1142011
An influential Muslim leader on Friday threatened
violent street protests if Bangladesh writer Taslima Nasreen returns to this
metropolis and demanded an apology from her for her allegedly derogatory comments
against Islam.
"My conviction is Taslima's return to Kolkata
is just not possible. It is a closed chapter. I can give you a guarantee that
she can never come back here," Shahi Imam of Tipu Sultan Masjid Noor ur
Rahman Barkati said here.
Cautioning the government, he said "if
they try to bring her back, the police will run out of bullets in controlling
our agitation. There is no prison in the state which can hold so many protestors."
"One should not disregard the sentiments
of Muslims. The West Bengal government should have arrested Taslima for her
derogatory comments. But instead, they chose to keep All India Minority Forum
president Idris Ali in prison for 26 days," he said.
The cleric said mere withdrawal of controversial
portions from Nasreen's book 'Dwikhandito" would not suffice and she has
to apologise.
"As per Islamic Law, once you have insulted
Islam and repeated it several times, then no matter how many times you withdraw
whatherever you have written or said, that is meaningless. She should first
apologise to Muslims and announce she will be a true follower of Islam. Then
she should apologise to Muslim clerics and religious scholars and read the kalma",
he said.