Taslima Nasreen is a native of Bengla Desh and a well known writer. She received huge popularity with her controversial books “Lajja” and “Dwikhandita”. A group of a particular religion did not like her views expressed in these books. She was threatened for her life and as a result she has to leave her country and look for shelter in other countries. She came to India and applied for Indian citizenship. Indian government neither granted her permanent citizenship nor denied her entry in the country. In fact, her request is still pending with the government. However, she was allowed to stay in India for a certain period and issued residential visa. She stayed in Kolkata and recently moved to Jaipur after protest from a particular religious group. This protest, in some people’s opinion, was state sponsored to divert attention from “Nandi Gram” issue by the Bengal government. Another school of thought is that West Bengal Government moved her from Kolkata to Delhi to please muslims to get their votes in forthcoming elections of local bodies. West Bengal government is understood to force Central Government of India to keep her away from the state. It appears convincing also as she is guarded by the security forces and she is under vigil in the name of security and not allowed to see her close relatives. Responding to the protest, Taslima withdrew few paragraphs from her book “Dwikhandita”. Here several issues have emerged from whole incidence. 1. Has she taken right step by withdrawing few stanzas from her book? 2. How justified is the Indian government’s stand to move her from Kolkata to Jaipur? 3. Why not India government granting her Indian citizenship?

This is happening in the history for the first time that an author has agreed to remove some portion of her autobiography.

Who is to be blamed for it?

Author or the Indian Government?

At first instance it appears that Taslima has withdrawn few portions of her book, to pacify the protestors, from her autobiography. However, this is not complete truth. Statements of ministers of ruling congress party advising Taslima to refrain from activities that could hurt sentiments of some people in the countries is quite suggestive that Taslima withdrew some lines from the book under compulsion. Question arises why ministers/leaders of a secular country issue such statements? Simple answer to this question, that is known to everyone in India, either government can not afford to annoy a particular religious group or government is afraid of disturbances. Whatever the truth, people backing Taslima are feeling cheated by the author.

In current context it is very difficult to believe in ideologies of any political party. Communist parties as well as Congress party both are afraid of risking their vote bank. To say it is democratic secular India but people daring to speak truth may not get full backing of the Indian government if this truth is related to a community that may serve as a vote bank of government. Moving Taslima from Kolkata to Jaipur may be considered as a predetermined and calculated move on behalf of Congress and CPM parties.This move may be targeted to muster support of a religious community and malign the image of BJP government who is a ruling party in Rajasthan.

Most pertinent question is : why Indian government not granting her Indian citizenship? I think reason behind this may be that government is compelled to allow entry in the country to keep alive India’s secular image but at the same time unable to grant her permanent citizenship due to fear of loosing its vote bank.

M.F. Hussain is an Indian citizen and staying away from India for sometime and residing in Saudi Arabia. He is a well known painter. In the past he has made paintings of Hindu dieties showing them naked. It was protested by a section of society. He chose to stay away from the country to avoid protests. Indian Congress Pary and Communist Parties have made it issue and again trying to take political advantages out of it by nominating him for most prestigious award "Bharat Ratna". These parties knew it better that by nominating him they are going to create problems among different sections of the society. They knew it very well that Hindus will protest it. These parties are in illusion that Muslims will think it as favor to them. Are Muslim not wise enough to analyse that on one side these parties are providing shelter to Taslima to protect their image of secular parties and on the other hand they are nominating a controversial person for such a prstigious award. Are these parties really secular or just pretend to be secular to draw an advantage.