In exile from Bangladesh since 1994, Taslima Nasreen lived in many countries before finding refuge in India.
"Like us, she is a Bengali, and she only writes in Bengali. She cannot enter Bangladesh, so her only option is to live amongst Bengalis in Calcutta if she has to exist as a writer of some consequence." - Shib Narain Ray, writer
BBC, 7th April, 2005
In 2007, little-known ultra-conservative Muslim groups organized
what seemed to be politically-motivated protests and burnt vehicles on
the streets of Kolkata to express their anger towards Taslima and the
government for protecting her.
Her life under threat, she was transported to Rajasthan and then to
New Delhi where she was kept in a form of 'safe custody' which
prevented her from having any visitors for four months. On the 18th of
March, 2008, Taslima left India for Europe.
"Her writings are against humanity and Islam....
Her face can be blackened with ink, paint or tar.
Or she can be garlanded with shoes."
- S.M.N. Rahman Barkati, head cleric of Calcutta's Tipu Sultan mosque, in front of a crowd of 10,000 at Friday prayers.
While it is expected of religious reactionaries to take the rights of other humans lightly, the view taken by many voices in the news media was particularly interesting.
They say, "Taslima had it coming." "Why couldn't she count her blessings and avoid creating trouble in a country that had generously welcomed her?"
The standard argument goes that freedom of speech is alright as long as people's feelings aren't hurt. This argument has been used at various times against Salman Rushdie, Deepa Mehta, M.F. Hussain and a Fine Arts student.
What "feelings" are we talking about here? And why should it be a standard for deciding what gets or doesn't get discussed within the confines of a text that one has to willingly read to be hurt or enlightened? And since when did it become the state's responsibility to protect the feelings of its citizens?
Besides, there's nothing wrong with a few hurt feelings. Builds
character. Opens our minds. Helps us grow and be compassionate. It's
the inability to handle the discomfort we experience with anything that
doesn't subscribe to an exclusive set of beliefs and a narrow,
compromised worldview that should worry us.
The Hyderabad police have registered a case against controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, who was recently attacked by workers of Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) in Hyderabad, for allegedly creating ill-feeling among communities. The writer has been booked under IPC Section 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, language etc) on a complaint registered by MIM legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi, police said.
In his complaint, Akbaruddin alleged that Kolkata-based Taslima had hurt the sentiments of the community with her writings and speeches against Islam, police said.
Akbaruddin, MIM floor leader in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, had threatened to kill the exiled author if she visited Hyderabad again.
Indian Express, August 11, 2007
Should people who are moved to violence whenever their feelings get
hurt be allowed to usurp public discourse in a civil society?
I believe the news media should have countered the views of violent protesters with sensible commentary instead of being bullied into submission and accepting their imagined harms as justifiable, probable cause.
Burning cars make for great action-packed spectacle but by themselves don't do much for the narrative of a country that seeks to hold tolerance and non-violence as the core of its identity.
"I see the truth and I want to tell the truth" - Taslima Nasreen
Taslima hurt a lot of feelings in Bangladesh as well. Among other
things, she proposed that an enlightened society must adopt civil laws
that are amenable and respond to the evolution of that society.
Not religious laws that were formed to serve ancient societies and are now too dogmatically followed to be open to modern reinterpretation. This is, of course, textbook heresy for the average obscurantist. As is feminism; along with a lot of other progressive movements of this and the last century.
"Taslima deserves our support and refuge and she should be given citizenship."
- Mahasweta Devi, writer
When India let Taslima in she wasn't a naive waif who had wandered
across the border ignorantly. She was a fearless, polemical writer and
freethinker in exile and by giving her refuge, India was, in a way,
reaffirming its commitment to the 21st century as a modern democracy.
Having done that we should have followed it up by standing by her and
let her continue with her life's work. We failed. And it's a crying shame.
What standards other than hurt feelings are used to curtail the freedom of speech in your country? Why?
This is quite a fine article, Dananjay! I like your argument and research. Her persecution is incredible and I am so thrilled you brought this matter to our attention. I look forward to the conversation your story will create!
Is there anything more specific that she wrote which caused such outrage? Certainly what you've referenced about progression and evolvement seems to be a reasonable argument.
Certainly violence is never justified and she should be free to express herself.
But I'm wondering if there is a missing piece here in that her writing evoked such a response?
Goodness. If every anti-Semetic piece of writing was met with the same kind of reaction by the Jewish people, war would never cease - a frightening thought. It's sad how people react to criticism. Voltaire famously said (or wrote), "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
Right on, Voltaire.
Thank you, David! This is one of those things that we shouldn't ignore to speak up about just because most people around us are indifferent to it.
Hi dmtessi!
Taslima through her writings has strived to give a voice to the disenfranchised. She was a physician before she started her literary career. Her first novel, Lajja ('Shame' in Bengali) was about the rape of a Hindu girl by a Muslim man and caused a controversy in Bangladesh that has a Hindu minority which is, for all intents and purposes, voiceless.
She has also written candidly about the treatment of women in her country and for this she was charged with blasphemy by Islamic radicals.
Gordon!
Yes! Whenever we see people trying to push their agenda with violence the appropriate response is to ignore it. Ideally, this should condition them to change their tactics.
What a great quote that is by Voltaire!
Thanks for clarifying Dananjay. Sounds like she is doing important and necessary work through her writing.
It's so hard to imagine that kind of oppression and suppression. She's very brave to challenge these ideas in light of the consequences.
Sounds like she's simply conveying the truth!
I'm not sure I would be as brave given the circumstances.
dmtessi,
I agree. She is indeed a very courageous individual. It takes a lot to stand up and speak out for what you know to be the truth when you know that you will be persecuted by those have the power to mortally harm you. She gave up an easy and privileged life and followed the call of her heart. We should celebrate her spirit and her rare courage!