Author: Express news service
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: February 11, 2008
URL: http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/No-freedom-of-speech-expression-for-Taslima-Ray/271573/
Former chief minister Siddhartha Shankar Roy offered a middle path to resolve
the stalemate on Taslima Nasreen's visa extension on Sunday.
With the author's visa set to expire on February
16, the Milli Ittihad Parishad, West Bengal had organised a discussion to
reiterate their opposition to her stay here.
Roy suggested that Nasreen's case could be
"reconsidered" if she gave a "written undertaking" she
would refrain from writing offending passages in the future.
He criticised Nasreen for her lack of "sincere
repentance" for her novel Dwikhandito, which hurt the religious sentiments
of people in Kolkata. The author should remove all similar writings from her
books, he said.
"In the undertaking, she should state
she had no intention of hurting the feelings of anyone and regrets her action.
She should say she will not write any offensive phrases in the future, as
long as she is in India and will not permit such works to be published here,"
Roy said.
Siddiqullah Chowdhury, the convenor of the
Milliitehad Parishad, an umbrella organisation of 12 minority bodies, had
earlier dismissed any possibility of "forgiving" Nasreen.
Chowdhury said: "We made our stand clear
months ago. We are against the extension of her visa. Now it is up to the
Centre to make its stand clear. If they still give her a visa extension, we
will have to decide on our next course of action."
Roy also pointed out that Taslima should not
be entitled to any freedom of speech and expression, as she was not a "citizen"
of India.
He proposed that a letter be sent to Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi with demands that
Taslima should write the undertaking. The next course of action should be
decided after receiving the author's response.
