Political storm brews over Taslima Nasreen's return to Kolkata

Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen's planned return to Kolkata sparks fresh political debate in West Bengal.

Nearly two decades later, Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen's plan to return to Kolkata has sparked a new debate in West Bengal politics. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have come face-to-face over her visit.

Taslima Nasreen will participate in an anti-fundamentalism literary event at Kolkata's Rabindra Sadan on August 1. She is also expected to recite poetry at the event. She shared this information on social media.

This event, organized by secular organizations, has once again ignited a debate on freedom of expression, secularism, and religious sentiments. Political reactions have intensified following the announcement of the event.

TMC MLA Akhruzzaman told news agency IANS,

Taslima Nasreen is a Bangladeshi author. She has written extensively against the Muslim community and Sharia in Islam. If someone speaks against Muslims, the double-engine government will honor them, what's surprising in that?

Meanwhile, the BJP has termed Taslima Nasreen's return as an indication of the changed political environment in West Bengal. State Minister Agnimitra Paul said,

The previous governments failed to provide security to Taslima Nasreen. She said, "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas, and Sabki Jawabdehi. Now accountability is being ensured. The Left government could not provide security to a talented author like Taslima Nasreen. They played politics with Muslims but did not provide her security. Let's not even talk about Mamata Banerjee's regime. I have heard that Taslima Ji is coming on August 1. I am a big fan of her books."

Taslima Nasreen came into international prominence in the early 1990s for her feminist writings and criticism of religious fundamentalism. Her novel 'Lajja' was published in 1994. This book mentioned the atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh following the demolition of the Babri Masjid. Several fatwas were issued against her after the book, and she had to leave Bangladesh. After spending several years in Europe and America, she came to India in 2004 and settled in Kolkata. She described this city as her closest cultural home during her exile. However, in November 2007, protests began against some parts of her autobiography 'Dwikhondito'. Some sections of Muslim organizations protested against it, which turned violent in several areas of Kolkata. The army had to be called in to control the situation.

Subsequently, the then Left Front government led by Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee asked Taslima Nasreen to leave Kolkata. She was first sent to Jaipur and then to Delhi, where she was initially kept under house arrest. Later, the central government granted her a long-term residence permit and a multiple-entry visa to stay in India.