02-17-2008, 01:26 PM
CAAMB EXPRESSES ITS CONCERN ABOUT THE STATEMENT BY
<b>MAHASWETA DEVI, ARUNDHATI ROY, ASHISH NANDY, GIRISH KARNAD AND
LATER SIGNED BY OTHERS DEMANDING FREEDOM OF TASLIMA NASRIN.</b>
CAAMB THANKS THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT TO THE CAUSE BUT IT SEEMS THAT
THE âINTELLECTUALSâ ARE JUST DOING IT TO KEEP THEIR IMAGE CLEAN
RATHER REALLY OPPOSING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOUNDING TASLIMA.
IT IS A GLARING EXAMPLE TO HIDE ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM AND DISTORTION OF FACTS.
The statement (given at the end) said that 'In the case of Taslima Nasrin it was the CPI (M) and not any religious or sectarian group who first tried to ban her book
Dwikhondito some years ago.' Only a government or a court can ban a book,
not any group. CPIM-led Government banned it not because the book has said anything against CPIM, but because the Islamic groups in West Bengal DEMANDED that and all other major political parties in West Bengal - Trinamul Congress and
Congress supported the move to appease the Islamic groups. The demand was
corroborated by a list of '25 intellectuals' , led by 'eminent literatuere
Sunil Gangopadhyay. Please note 'communal' BJP has minimum presence in the state.
So the ban was done to appease the Islamic Fundamentalist. By blaming only
CPIM, it tries to hide the power of Islamic fundamentalists in West Bengal
today.
After Calcutta High Court lifted the ban, no one went to the Supreme Court
against the ban. But the Islamic groups, particularly Milli Ittehad
Parishad, including Mr.Siddikullah, the champion of Nandigram, came on
streets demanding the head or expulsion of Taslima Nasrin from the country.
They met Chief Minister to warn of dire consequence. There were street
protests and demand to kill Taslima by Islamic groups at the centre of
Kolkata. Even a CPIM-backed journal Pathasanket was banned as an article
there justified Taslima's views on Islam. This publication springed a
subsequent round of not only banning the journal (its September 2007 issue),
but the protests turned violent even after the journal was banned and all
its copies were withdrawn from the market. No 'secular' intellectual
protested this ban.
Eminent 'secular' intellectuals of West Bengal and Muslim MPs of CPIM fanned
the demand against Taslima. And then on 21 November 2007, the Islamists
carried out violence throughout the day in Kolkata. And the police, who
fires readily on any peasant demonstrations like Nandigram or Dinhata,
looked the other way. No political parties in West Bengal came out
against this violence. <b>The petition by Mahasweta Devi et al is silent on
this black day of Kolkata. Islamic muscle, appeasement by political parties
and silence of these 'intellctuals' - all together bundled out Taslima from
her room into a car to kick her out from great 'progressive' Kolkata. </b>All
these are recorded in the media and it is not any activity of any 'unknown'
Muslim group to defuse the land issue by appeasing Muslims.
To hide the role of Islamic fundamentalists the issue of Nandigram has been
dragged into in this statement. The statement says that Taslima issue was
raised by an unknown group and CPIM caved in to appease the Muslims and in
turn to destroy the 'davit - Muslim protest of Nandigram. It is a blatant
lie as one of the most championed leader of Nandigram, Mr. Siddikullah of
Jamaet Ulema Hind (a secular party for Mahasweta Devi) himself and Milli
Ittehad Parishad led a big street protest in Kolkata few days before the
21st November. Was it also arranged by CPIM? All kinds of Islamic groups
have supported the demand. To hide this face of Islamic fundamentalists this
petition is unfortunately changing a peasant revolt of Namdigram as a
'dalit - Muslim protest, thus communalising the protest movement of Bengal.
And finally to confuse the main issue a host of other issues have been
included. And if those issues are not solved why then Taslima should return
to Kolkata or stay in India.
Is it really in favour of Taslima?
<b>CAAMB FEELS BY THIS KIND OF ACT WEST BENGAL (AND WHOLE NORTHEAST) IS BEING GIFTED TO THE ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISTS. IT IS NOW TIME FOR ALL TO COME DOWN TO THE STREET TO BRING BACK TASLIMA. THIS WILL DECIDE THE FUTURE OF WEST BENGAL</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b> Public Statement by Forum For The Protection of Free Speech and Expression</b>
At a time when India is projecting itself on the
world's stage as a modern democracy, while it hosts
international literary festivals and book fairs, the
Government of India, most mainstream political parties
and their armed squads are mounting a concerted
assault on peoples' right to Free Speech.
It is a matter of abiding shame that even as some of
the world's best-known writers were attending the
Jaipur literary festival and prestigious publishers
were doing business at the World Book fair in Delhi,
the exiled Bengali writer Taslima Nasrin was (and is)
being held in custody by the Government of India in an
undisclosed location somewhere in or around Delhi in
conditions that amount to house arrest. Contrary to
misleading press reports stating that her visa has
been extended, her visa expires on the 18th of
February, after which she is liable to be deported or
remain confined as an illegal alien.
Taslima Nasrin is only one in a long list of
journalists, writers, scholars and artists who have
been persecuted, banned, imprisoned, forced into exile
or had their work desecrated in this country. At
different points of time, different governments have
either directly or indirectly resorted to these
measures in order to fan the flames of religious,
regional and ethnic obscurantism to gain popularity
and expand their 'vote-banks' . Every day the threat to
Free Speech and Expression increases.
In the case of Taslima Nasrin it was the CPI (M) and
not any religious or sectarian group who first tried
to ban her book Dwikhondito some years ago. The ban
was lifted by the Calcutta High Court and the book was
in the market and on bestseller lists in West Bengal
for several years. During those years Taslima Nasrin
lived and worked as a free person in Calcutta without
any threat to her person, without being the cause of
public disorder, protests or demonstrations.
Ironically, Taslima Nasrin's troubles in India began
immediately after the Nandigram uprising when the
people of Nandigram, mostly Dalits and Muslims, rose
to resist the West Bengal Government's attempt to
takeover their land, and tens of thousands of people
marched in Calcutta to protest the government's
actions. Within days a little known group claiming to
speak for the Muslim community asked for a ban on
Dwikhondito and demanded that Taslima Nasrin be
deported. The CPI(M)-led government of West Bengal
immediately caved in to the demand, informed her that
it could not offer her security, and lost no time in
deporting her from West Bengal against her will. The
Congress-led UPA Government has condoned this act by
holding her in custody in Delhi and refusing, thus
far, to extend her visa and relieve her of her public
humiliation. They have once again played the suicidal
card of pitting minority communalism against majority
communalism, a game that can only end in disaster.
Inevitably, hoping to make political capital out of
the situation, the BJP is publicly shedding crocodile
tears over Taslima Nasrin, going to the extent of
offering her asylum in Gujarat. It seems to expect
people to forget that the BJP, VHP and RSS cadres have
been at the forefront of harassing, persecuting,
threatening and vandalizing newspaper offices,
television studios, galleries, cinema halls,
filmmakers, artists and writers. Or that they have
forced M.F. Husain, one of India's best-known
painters, into exile.
Meanwhile, in states like Chattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh
and Karnataka, away from the public glare of press
conferences and television cameras, journalists are
being threatened and even imprisoned. Prashant Rahi
from Uttarakhand, Praful Jha from Chattisgarh,
Srisailum from Andhra Pradesh, P. Govind Kutty from
Kerala are a few examples. As we speak Govind Kutty,
who is on a hunger strike in prison is being
force-fed, bound hand and foot. Scores of ordinary
people, including people like Binayak Sen have been
arrested and held illegally under false charges.
We the undersigned do not necessarily agree with,
endorse or admire the views or the work of those whose
rights we seek to defend. Many of us have serious
differences with them. We agree that many of them do
offend our (or someone else's) religious, political
and ideological sensibilities. However, we believe
that instead of making them simultaneously into both
victims and heroes, their work should be viewed, read,
criticized and vigorously debated. We believe that the
Freedom of Speech and Expression is an Absolute and
Inalienable Right, and is the keystone of a modern
democracy.
If the Indian Government deports Taslima Nasrin, or
holds her as an illegal alien, it will shame and
diminish all of us. We demand that she be given a
Resident's Permit or, if she has applied for it,
Indian citizenship, and that she be allowed to live
and work freely in India. We demand that the spurious
cases filed against M.F. Husain be dropped and that he
be allowed to return to a normal life in India. We
demand that the journalists who are being illegally
detained in prison against all principles of natural
justice be released immediately.
Signed:
Mahashweta Devi, Arundhati Roy, Ashish Nandy, Girish Karnad<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>MAHASWETA DEVI, ARUNDHATI ROY, ASHISH NANDY, GIRISH KARNAD AND
LATER SIGNED BY OTHERS DEMANDING FREEDOM OF TASLIMA NASRIN.</b>
CAAMB THANKS THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT TO THE CAUSE BUT IT SEEMS THAT
THE âINTELLECTUALSâ ARE JUST DOING IT TO KEEP THEIR IMAGE CLEAN
RATHER REALLY OPPOSING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOUNDING TASLIMA.
IT IS A GLARING EXAMPLE TO HIDE ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM AND DISTORTION OF FACTS.
The statement (given at the end) said that 'In the case of Taslima Nasrin it was the CPI (M) and not any religious or sectarian group who first tried to ban her book
Dwikhondito some years ago.' Only a government or a court can ban a book,
not any group. CPIM-led Government banned it not because the book has said anything against CPIM, but because the Islamic groups in West Bengal DEMANDED that and all other major political parties in West Bengal - Trinamul Congress and
Congress supported the move to appease the Islamic groups. The demand was
corroborated by a list of '25 intellectuals' , led by 'eminent literatuere
Sunil Gangopadhyay. Please note 'communal' BJP has minimum presence in the state.
So the ban was done to appease the Islamic Fundamentalist. By blaming only
CPIM, it tries to hide the power of Islamic fundamentalists in West Bengal
today.
After Calcutta High Court lifted the ban, no one went to the Supreme Court
against the ban. But the Islamic groups, particularly Milli Ittehad
Parishad, including Mr.Siddikullah, the champion of Nandigram, came on
streets demanding the head or expulsion of Taslima Nasrin from the country.
They met Chief Minister to warn of dire consequence. There were street
protests and demand to kill Taslima by Islamic groups at the centre of
Kolkata. Even a CPIM-backed journal Pathasanket was banned as an article
there justified Taslima's views on Islam. This publication springed a
subsequent round of not only banning the journal (its September 2007 issue),
but the protests turned violent even after the journal was banned and all
its copies were withdrawn from the market. No 'secular' intellectual
protested this ban.
Eminent 'secular' intellectuals of West Bengal and Muslim MPs of CPIM fanned
the demand against Taslima. And then on 21 November 2007, the Islamists
carried out violence throughout the day in Kolkata. And the police, who
fires readily on any peasant demonstrations like Nandigram or Dinhata,
looked the other way. No political parties in West Bengal came out
against this violence. <b>The petition by Mahasweta Devi et al is silent on
this black day of Kolkata. Islamic muscle, appeasement by political parties
and silence of these 'intellctuals' - all together bundled out Taslima from
her room into a car to kick her out from great 'progressive' Kolkata. </b>All
these are recorded in the media and it is not any activity of any 'unknown'
Muslim group to defuse the land issue by appeasing Muslims.
To hide the role of Islamic fundamentalists the issue of Nandigram has been
dragged into in this statement. The statement says that Taslima issue was
raised by an unknown group and CPIM caved in to appease the Muslims and in
turn to destroy the 'davit - Muslim protest of Nandigram. It is a blatant
lie as one of the most championed leader of Nandigram, Mr. Siddikullah of
Jamaet Ulema Hind (a secular party for Mahasweta Devi) himself and Milli
Ittehad Parishad led a big street protest in Kolkata few days before the
21st November. Was it also arranged by CPIM? All kinds of Islamic groups
have supported the demand. To hide this face of Islamic fundamentalists this
petition is unfortunately changing a peasant revolt of Namdigram as a
'dalit - Muslim protest, thus communalising the protest movement of Bengal.
And finally to confuse the main issue a host of other issues have been
included. And if those issues are not solved why then Taslima should return
to Kolkata or stay in India.
Is it really in favour of Taslima?
<b>CAAMB FEELS BY THIS KIND OF ACT WEST BENGAL (AND WHOLE NORTHEAST) IS BEING GIFTED TO THE ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISTS. IT IS NOW TIME FOR ALL TO COME DOWN TO THE STREET TO BRING BACK TASLIMA. THIS WILL DECIDE THE FUTURE OF WEST BENGAL</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b> Public Statement by Forum For The Protection of Free Speech and Expression</b>
At a time when India is projecting itself on the
world's stage as a modern democracy, while it hosts
international literary festivals and book fairs, the
Government of India, most mainstream political parties
and their armed squads are mounting a concerted
assault on peoples' right to Free Speech.
It is a matter of abiding shame that even as some of
the world's best-known writers were attending the
Jaipur literary festival and prestigious publishers
were doing business at the World Book fair in Delhi,
the exiled Bengali writer Taslima Nasrin was (and is)
being held in custody by the Government of India in an
undisclosed location somewhere in or around Delhi in
conditions that amount to house arrest. Contrary to
misleading press reports stating that her visa has
been extended, her visa expires on the 18th of
February, after which she is liable to be deported or
remain confined as an illegal alien.
Taslima Nasrin is only one in a long list of
journalists, writers, scholars and artists who have
been persecuted, banned, imprisoned, forced into exile
or had their work desecrated in this country. At
different points of time, different governments have
either directly or indirectly resorted to these
measures in order to fan the flames of religious,
regional and ethnic obscurantism to gain popularity
and expand their 'vote-banks' . Every day the threat to
Free Speech and Expression increases.
In the case of Taslima Nasrin it was the CPI (M) and
not any religious or sectarian group who first tried
to ban her book Dwikhondito some years ago. The ban
was lifted by the Calcutta High Court and the book was
in the market and on bestseller lists in West Bengal
for several years. During those years Taslima Nasrin
lived and worked as a free person in Calcutta without
any threat to her person, without being the cause of
public disorder, protests or demonstrations.
Ironically, Taslima Nasrin's troubles in India began
immediately after the Nandigram uprising when the
people of Nandigram, mostly Dalits and Muslims, rose
to resist the West Bengal Government's attempt to
takeover their land, and tens of thousands of people
marched in Calcutta to protest the government's
actions. Within days a little known group claiming to
speak for the Muslim community asked for a ban on
Dwikhondito and demanded that Taslima Nasrin be
deported. The CPI(M)-led government of West Bengal
immediately caved in to the demand, informed her that
it could not offer her security, and lost no time in
deporting her from West Bengal against her will. The
Congress-led UPA Government has condoned this act by
holding her in custody in Delhi and refusing, thus
far, to extend her visa and relieve her of her public
humiliation. They have once again played the suicidal
card of pitting minority communalism against majority
communalism, a game that can only end in disaster.
Inevitably, hoping to make political capital out of
the situation, the BJP is publicly shedding crocodile
tears over Taslima Nasrin, going to the extent of
offering her asylum in Gujarat. It seems to expect
people to forget that the BJP, VHP and RSS cadres have
been at the forefront of harassing, persecuting,
threatening and vandalizing newspaper offices,
television studios, galleries, cinema halls,
filmmakers, artists and writers. Or that they have
forced M.F. Husain, one of India's best-known
painters, into exile.
Meanwhile, in states like Chattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh
and Karnataka, away from the public glare of press
conferences and television cameras, journalists are
being threatened and even imprisoned. Prashant Rahi
from Uttarakhand, Praful Jha from Chattisgarh,
Srisailum from Andhra Pradesh, P. Govind Kutty from
Kerala are a few examples. As we speak Govind Kutty,
who is on a hunger strike in prison is being
force-fed, bound hand and foot. Scores of ordinary
people, including people like Binayak Sen have been
arrested and held illegally under false charges.
We the undersigned do not necessarily agree with,
endorse or admire the views or the work of those whose
rights we seek to defend. Many of us have serious
differences with them. We agree that many of them do
offend our (or someone else's) religious, political
and ideological sensibilities. However, we believe
that instead of making them simultaneously into both
victims and heroes, their work should be viewed, read,
criticized and vigorously debated. We believe that the
Freedom of Speech and Expression is an Absolute and
Inalienable Right, and is the keystone of a modern
democracy.
If the Indian Government deports Taslima Nasrin, or
holds her as an illegal alien, it will shame and
diminish all of us. We demand that she be given a
Resident's Permit or, if she has applied for it,
Indian citizenship, and that she be allowed to live
and work freely in India. We demand that the spurious
cases filed against M.F. Husain be dropped and that he
be allowed to return to a normal life in India. We
demand that the journalists who are being illegally
detained in prison against all principles of natural
justice be released immediately.
Signed:
Mahashweta Devi, Arundhati Roy, Ashish Nandy, Girish Karnad<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->