11-24-2007, 02:07 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->On Wednesday, Kolkata saw a demonstration against Taslima Nasreen's stay in the State by 10,000 people from the minority community that could well have degenerated into a communal riot with the slightest provocation. The mob went on the rampage torching vehicles, damaging public property and fighting pitched battles with the police -- for 8 hours -- till the Army was called in.
Though sources refused to name the leaders of this violence, other comrades said that "they belonged to the Urdu-speaking lobby" indicating party MP Md Salim and Assembly Speaker HA Halim as also former Minister Md Amin, who played an important role in securing the Bangla writer's ouster.
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Surprisingly,the Bengali lobby represented by the likes of Abdur Rezzak Mollah did not advocate Nasreen's ouster, insiders said.
The logic behind Urdu-Bengali divide in the Muslim Marxist leadership is also reinforced by the fact that Wednesday's upheaval was largely concentrated in the Urdu-speaking areas of Park Circus, Ripon Street, Beniapukur and not Khidderpore-Akra-Metiabruz belt inhabited by the Bengali Muslims
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Though sources refused to name the leaders of this violence, other comrades said that "they belonged to the Urdu-speaking lobby" indicating party MP Md Salim and Assembly Speaker HA Halim as also former Minister Md Amin, who played an important role in securing the Bangla writer's ouster.
....................
Surprisingly,the Bengali lobby represented by the likes of Abdur Rezzak Mollah did not advocate Nasreen's ouster, insiders said.
The logic behind Urdu-Bengali divide in the Muslim Marxist leadership is also reinforced by the fact that Wednesday's upheaval was largely concentrated in the Urdu-speaking areas of Park Circus, Ripon Street, Beniapukur and not Khidderpore-Akra-Metiabruz belt inhabited by the Bengali Muslims
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