New Delhi
29 November 2007
The CPI has sought Indian citizenship for Bangladeshi writer
Taslima Nasreen. "It is our categorical demand that she be given Indian citizenship or
permanent visa, whichever may be easier," Gurudas Dasgupta of the CPI said on
Thursday.
Mr Dasgupta, who spoke over telephone with Ms Nasreen, said that she wants to stay in
India. "She is under house arrest ... in a makeshift jail, which is very, very unfortunate,"
he said, appealing to the CPI(M)-led Left Front Government in West Bengal to reconsider
whether Ms Nasreen can take shelter in that state.
Training his guns on Minister of External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee, Mr Dasgupta said
that the minister's statement on Taslima Nasreen is perplexing. Mr Mukherjee told
Parliament on Wednesday that India will provide shelter to Ms Nasreen but expects her
to refrain from activities and expressions that may hurt the sentiments of Indians.
"The minister's advice is a concession to fundamentalists. It is a great compromise," Mr
Dasgupta asserted. "It is a sense of mind frame (sic) which wants to speak something
which you cannot openly speak," he said, adding that Ms Nasreen is not a politician that
Mr Mukherjee should have felt the need for a caveat that those who have been granted
shelter here have always undertaken to eschew political activities in India or any actions
which may harm India's relations with friendly countries.
The criticism did not seem to deter Minister of External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee as he
engaged in public diplomacy of a different kind. Invoking Islam, which he said espouses
universal compassion, love, brotherhood, equality and unity, Mr Mukherjee on Thursday
told the Rajya Sabha that nobody should be allowed to distort Islam or hurt the
sentiments of Muslims.
"Fundamental rights are subject to reasonable restriction," he said, with an eye on the
Assembly election in Gujarat next month. "If there is distortion, naturally it will hurt
people ... nobody should be allowed to do so," he said in response to clarifications
sought by the Rajya Sabha on his one-day old statement.
Recalling the Indian tradition of Vasudhaiv Kutumbukam (The world is but one family), Mr
Mukherjee said that the controversy surrounding Ms Nasreen or painter MF Hussain
arose because India has become a "little intolerant". He hoped that situation would have
improved by February next year, when Ms Nasreen's visa will expire.
Earlier, seeking clarifications on the minister's statement, Sitaram Yechury of CPI(M)
said that giving and extending visa is the sole prerogative of the Centre but it is
incumbent on the states to provide security as law and order is a State subject. He
clarified that the Left Front government of West Bengal did not direct Ms Nasreen to
leave the state.
Maulana Mahmood A Madani (Rashtriya Lok Dal), in turn, said that right of expression
should be available but that right should not be used to insult anybody. Alluding to a
"conspiracy," the Maulana said that the Hindi version of Ms Nasreen's book,
Dwikhandito, did not attract much criticism but a new version of the book contained
certain objectionable material.
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