CONTROVERSIAL Author -feminist Taslima Nasrin’s dream to have a glimpse at Ellora and Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad district was shattered by fanatics. Soon after her flight from New Delhi landed in Aurangabad on July 29, some senior officials met her and explained to her the “sensitive situation outside the airport and the hotel” due to a demonstration being held by AIMIM. The author, who is accorded tight security globally, was granted the option to step out and continue with her trip or return, and she reluctantly opted to take the next flight to Mumbai. The visit cancellation triggered a volley of reactions on the social media which she countered by saying: “Can any of them tell what I wrote about the Prophet? They can’t because they haven’t read my books. They only use me for their political interests.”Nasreen, now a Swedish citizen, was virtually packed off from the Chikalthana Airport in Aurangabad around 8 pm on Saturday after huge protests outside the airport as well as near the Taj Hotel where she had planned to stay during her proposed three-day visit to the historic city .
“Can any of them tell what I wrote about the Prophet? They can’t because they haven’t read my books. They only use me for their political interests.”
She was and virtually compelled to leave for Mumbai from the airport by senior officials by the next available flight. Heartbroken Bangladesh born humanist says on Tweeter: “I can’t believe it was possible in the largest democracy in the world.” Sources said protesters had very specific information in advance on all confidential details, including her flight’s arrival timing and the hotel she had booked, besides her plans to go around various tourist hotspots in and around the world-renowned tourism city. Taslima Nasreen says only Aurangabad Police knew about her arrival. And that’s why she wonders how `fanatics` got to know about her itinerary. Taslima Nasreen on Monday alleged that her itinerary in Aurangabad was deliberately leaked. I’m a true friend of Muslims. Only friends and well-wishers want you to be educated and enlightened and your religion to be reformed.”
“I can’t believe it was possible in the largest democracy in the world.”
Nasrin, a medical graduate from Dhaka Medical College and born in Mymansing ,was the daughter of a medico. She has been living in exile ever since she had to leave Bangladesh in 1994 in the wake of threats to her by fundamentalist groups who vehemently opposed her views on the prevailing social evils depicted in the LAJJA .She briefly stayed in West Bengal and had to leave Kolkata due to protest by fundamentalists. The Indian Home Ministry had extended her visa for a year, with effect from July 23.
Police are probing how the travel plan of an international celebrity was leaked giving rise to a potential law and order issue. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) legislator Imtiyaz Jaleel led one of the protests. The party activists waving placards and banners shouted slogans protesting her visit even as police rushed to the protest spots. Jaleel said her writings have “hurt” the religious sentiments of Muslims across the world.”We will not allow her to step on the soil of our city,” he said.
