Author: Mahasweta Devi
Publication: The Hindu
Date: December 23, 2007
URL: http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/23/stories/2007122360671000.htm
Smear campaign has been launched against the
Bangladeshi writer
Demanding the return of the exiled Bangladeshi
writer Taslima Nasreen to Kolkata, several civil society organisations took
out a rally here on Saturday.
Both ordinary citizens and prominent individuals
took part in the rally, with some of the participants carrying placards that
read 'Bring back Taslima' and 'Kolkata misses Taslima.'
"Taslima Nasreen has been removed from
Kolkata by the West Bengal government because the Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
is trying to rope in the Muslim votes for the upcoming panchayat elections in
the state," said writer and social activist Mahasweta Devi at the end of
the rally.
She alleged that a smear campaign had been launched
against Ms. Nasreen by the State government among the minorities for the sake
of vote bank politics.
Blind support
It was unfortunate that the Congress government
at the Centre was "blindly supporting" the State government in order
to ensure its survival, she said.
Painter Shuvaprassana expressed surprise as
to why a book [Dwikhandito] written five years ago was the cause of so much
trouble.
Writer Jaya Mitra said the actions of the State
government against Ms. Nasreen exposed its 'moral and cultural bankruptcy.'
