Author: Times News Network
Publication: The Times of India
Date: November 26, 2007
The Centre seems to have dangled a carrot,
while at the same time wielding a stick, to solve the problem of Taslima Nasreen.
It appears that officials of the ministry of external affairs (MEA) have suggested
to her that she move out of India before her visa expires in mid-February.
They have offered that if she stays out for a couple of months at this juncture
- when she has become a political hot potato - it would be easier for the
MEA to grant her a fresh visa by the middle of 2008.
A friend of Taslima, who spoke to her on phone
on Sunday, told TOI about the conversation, adding that she was still desperate
to return to Kolkata.
Her hopes might have soared amid reports that
Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, speaking at a rally in north Bengal, said
she was free to return to Kolkata any time. But they were dashed as he soon
denied having spoken about Nasreen.
However, the BJP, in a bid to make political
capital of a situation in which the Centre and the Left seemed to be caught
on the wrong foot, on Sunday demanded that Nasreen be treated as a political
refugee. It claimed that while the Centre and the Bengal government were "welcoming
millions of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, they have shut the doors on
Nasreen, a victim of political persecution, as part of vote bank politics".
"Nasreen is entitled to all rights which have been given to the Tibetan
refugees," the party said.
Nasreen has also told her friends she might
be shifted to a private guesthouse in Noida, because where she is staying
now is public knowledge.
