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Call for citizenship to Taslima hailed

NEW DELHI: Academics and artistes on Friday protested against the rioting in Kolkata by Muslim fundamentalist forces against Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen and her subsequent “externment” from the city.

In a statement issued by the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust, they welcomed the call for giving Ms. Nasreen Indian citizenship in the face of fundamentalism in her country.

At the same time, SAHMAT sought to underline the “unabashed duplicity” exhibited by Hindu fundamentalist forces in this matter when they continued to viciously persecute painter M.F. Husain. Expressing happiness that Left Front chairman Biman Bose had revised his statement asking Ms. Nasreen to leave West Bengal if her presence disturbed peace in the State, the statement said everyone should stand united to defend freedom of expression in an unfettered manner without violence, threat or hindrance from fundamentalist forces and frenzied mobs openly exhibiting extreme intolerancea.

“What is particularly frightening is the fact that this is not the first time in recent history that such a situation has been created by sectarian forces and the reaction of the state has been identical. We have had to face almost exactly the same situation in regard to veteran painter M.F. Husain.”

The signatories to the statement include Prabhat Patnaik, Ram Rahman, D.N. Jha, Amiya Bagchi, Indira Chandrasekhar, M.K. Raina, Sohail Hashmi, Radha Kumar, C.P. Chandrasekhar and M.M.P. Singh.

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