08-09-2007, 10:56 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Three legislators belonging to city-based Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen political party and over dozen of their henchmen were arrested for their bid to attack controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen at the press club in Hyderabad on Thursday.
The writer was in city to participate in a function to mark the release of a Telugu translation of her Bengali novel Shodh (Revenge) at the Press Club at Somajiguda. The book was translated into Telugu by writer Venigalla Komala.Soonafter the function started at around noon, a group of MIM activists led by MLAs Mohammed Muqtada Khan, Mohammed Moazzam Khan and Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri suddenly descended on the premises.
They stormed into the venue and tried to assault the author while raising slogans against her. The organisers present on the dias, quickly formed a human shield around the writer. The protestors failing to hurt the writer, rained blows on noted journalist Dr N Innaiah and others who were trying to shield a visibly shaken Taslima Nasreen. The miscreants tried to hit Innaiah with a chair and flower pots.
Journalists, press photographers and TV camera crew present to cover the function intervened and took out the MIM MLAs from the hall. MIM activists created a havoc in the Press club premises, damaging flower pots and furniture.
MIM workers raised full-throated slogans like "Taslima Nasreen murdabad (down, down), Taslima Nasreen wapas jao (go back)." They alleged that she had indulged in anti-Muslim and anti-Islamic writings and made derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed.
The protest continued even as a police contingent led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) West Zone Madhusudhan Reddy rushed to the spot. MIM activists staged a noisy rasta roko (road blockade) on the road opposite the Press Club for sometime before they were arrested by the police.
The police escorted out Taslima Nasreen to a "safe place." Later, the organizers lodged a complaint with the City Commissioner of Police, demanding stern action against MIM MLAs and activists under non-bailable sections of Indian Penal Code. They also demanded an unconditional apology from MIM for the unsavoury incident.
http://hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryP...reen+roughed+up<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
where is the freedom of expression brigade now?
The writer was in city to participate in a function to mark the release of a Telugu translation of her Bengali novel Shodh (Revenge) at the Press Club at Somajiguda. The book was translated into Telugu by writer Venigalla Komala.Soonafter the function started at around noon, a group of MIM activists led by MLAs Mohammed Muqtada Khan, Mohammed Moazzam Khan and Syed Ahmed Pasha Quadri suddenly descended on the premises.
They stormed into the venue and tried to assault the author while raising slogans against her. The organisers present on the dias, quickly formed a human shield around the writer. The protestors failing to hurt the writer, rained blows on noted journalist Dr N Innaiah and others who were trying to shield a visibly shaken Taslima Nasreen. The miscreants tried to hit Innaiah with a chair and flower pots.
Journalists, press photographers and TV camera crew present to cover the function intervened and took out the MIM MLAs from the hall. MIM activists created a havoc in the Press club premises, damaging flower pots and furniture.
MIM workers raised full-throated slogans like "Taslima Nasreen murdabad (down, down), Taslima Nasreen wapas jao (go back)." They alleged that she had indulged in anti-Muslim and anti-Islamic writings and made derogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed.
The protest continued even as a police contingent led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) West Zone Madhusudhan Reddy rushed to the spot. MIM activists staged a noisy rasta roko (road blockade) on the road opposite the Press Club for sometime before they were arrested by the police.
The police escorted out Taslima Nasreen to a "safe place." Later, the organizers lodged a complaint with the City Commissioner of Police, demanding stern action against MIM MLAs and activists under non-bailable sections of Indian Penal Code. They also demanded an unconditional apology from MIM for the unsavoury incident.
http://hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryP...reen+roughed+up<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
where is the freedom of expression brigade now?