Taslima vows not to leave India
Saturday, 11 August 2007
NEW DELHI, Aug 10: Controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen said Friday night she was "shocked" by the attack on her in Hyderabad by a Muslim group but had no intention of leaving India, which she described as her "second home" and "a good place to live in".
"India is a good place to live in and it is my second home. I don't want to go back to my country and I want to live here," Nasreen told NDTV.
The writer said she was "shocked...but not surprised" at the attack as Muslim fundamentalists in the country had earlier issued Fatwa against her.
She said those who attacked her was a minority. "Majority of the people here believe in democracy and freedom of expression and I get their support and sympathy."
Nasreen said the support she received from the countrymen made her "all the more committed to the cause which she stands for".
Meanwhile, PTI adds: The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Muslim leaders and intellectuals condemned Friday the attack on Taslima Nasreen saying it was against the "democratic and secular character" of the Indian polity.
"One may have differences over the writings of Taslima Nasreen or anybody else, but this definitely is not the appropriate manner to express dissent," the CPI-M Polit Bureau said.
The attack goes against the democratic and secular character of the Indian polity, it said and asked the Andhra Pradesh government to take stern action against those responsible for it.
The Muslim leaders and intellectuals have strongly condemned the attack terming the incident as "shameful" and "barbaric".
"The incident was outrageous and shameful. In a civilised society, you have a right to approve or disapprove of anything," noted lyricist and author Javed Akhtar said.
Observing that fundamentalists are becoming "bolder and bolder by the day," he said, "these (the attackers) are the same people who criticise Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). What is the difference between them and the Hindu fundamentalist organisations"?
"India is a good place to live in and it is my second home. I don't want to go back to my country and I want to live here," Nasreen told NDTV.
The writer said she was "shocked...but not surprised" at the attack as Muslim fundamentalists in the country had earlier issued Fatwa against her.
She said those who attacked her was a minority. "Majority of the people here believe in democracy and freedom of expression and I get their support and sympathy."
Nasreen said the support she received from the countrymen made her "all the more committed to the cause which she stands for".
Meanwhile, PTI adds: The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Muslim leaders and intellectuals condemned Friday the attack on Taslima Nasreen saying it was against the "democratic and secular character" of the Indian polity.
"One may have differences over the writings of Taslima Nasreen or anybody else, but this definitely is not the appropriate manner to express dissent," the CPI-M Polit Bureau said.
The attack goes against the democratic and secular character of the Indian polity, it said and asked the Andhra Pradesh government to take stern action against those responsible for it.
The Muslim leaders and intellectuals have strongly condemned the attack terming the incident as "shameful" and "barbaric".
"The incident was outrageous and shameful. In a civilised society, you have a right to approve or disapprove of anything," noted lyricist and author Javed Akhtar said.
Observing that fundamentalists are becoming "bolder and bolder by the day," he said, "these (the attackers) are the same people who criticise Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). What is the difference between them and the Hindu fundamentalist organisations"?