“In my opinion she should be given a permanent visa to reside in India. … Several bigots and fanatics have hounded her ever since she wrote her book Lajja. I have read the book. It only depicts the atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh after the demolition of Babri Masjid. There is nothing against Islam in that book,” – Justice Katju
Holding that Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin has been hounded for her novel Lajja, Press Council of India chairperson Justice Markandey Katju today demanded that she be given a permanent visa to reside in India.
In a statement released here, Katju said he had read in the newspapers that Nasrin’s visa has been extended by the Indian government by only 2 months.
“In my opinion she should be given a permanent visa to reside in India,” Katju, a former judge of the Supreme Court said.
“Several bigots and fanatics have hounded her ever since she wrote her book Lajja. I have read the book. It only depicts the atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh after the demolition of Babri Masjid. There is nothing against Islam in that book,” he said.
The controversial writer, who is living in exile since 1994, has been refused a one-year visa by the government and instead given permission to stay in India for two months.
Upset over India’s decision to grant her 2-month visa, Nasrin, who had to leave Bangladesh in 1994 in the wake of death threat by fundamentalist outfits for her alleged anti-Islamic views, said the decision was “beyond my imagination”.
Taslima is now a citizen of Sweden. She had been living in exile since 1994 and has lived in the US, Europe and India in the last two decades. However, on many occasions she had expressed her wish to live in India permanently, especially in Kolkata. – The Economic Times, 1August 2014
Filed under: india | Tagged: bangladesh, book ban, book banning, human rights, india government policies, markandey katju, press council of india, scholarship, taslima nasrin, west bengal |
BHARATA BHARATI 
Taslima Nasreen meets home minister Rajnath Singh – PTI -TOI – Aug 2, 2014
NEW DELHI: Controversial writer Taslima Nasreen on Saturday met home minister Rajnath Singh after she was refused a one-year visa by the government and instead given permission to stay in India for two months.
During the 20-minute meeting, Taslima requested the home minister that she be allowed to stay in India for a longer period, official sources said.
The 51-year-old writer had applied for a resident permit and the home ministry granted her the same type of visa but only for two months beginning August 1.
“I met honourable home minister Rajnath Singhji this afternoon. Gave him my book ‘Wo Andhere Din’. He said, ‘Aapka Andhere Din Khatam Ho Jayega’ (Your dark days will end),” Taslima tweeted after her meeting.
A verification process of Nasreen’s visa application has also been initiated by the government and the two-month visa has been given pending a decision on the longer-term visa.
After the verification process is completed, the government will take an appropriate decision, a home ministry official said.
The controversial writer from Bangladesh has been living in self exile since 1994 in the wake of death threats by Muslim fundamentalist outfits.
Taslima is now a citizen of Sweden. She has been continuously getting Indian visa since 2004.
She has lived in the US, Europe and India in the last two decades. However, on many occasions she had expressed her wish to live in India permanently, especially in Kolkata.
The writer had to leave Kolkata in 2007 following violent street protests by a section of Muslims against her works.
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Justice Katju is absolutely right. The GOI should give Taslima Nasrin permission to reside permanently in India.
Why is Taslima untouchable, always alone without friends or support? Why don’t our secular intellectuals and authors take up her case? After all she is one of them!
If the GOI throws her out, it will be understood that they have taken the road of Muslim appeasement in WB.
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