HYDERABAD:
Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin was roughed up by legislators of the
Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) and a mob led by them in the Press Club of
Hyderabad on Thursday.
The feminist
writer and author of several novels — including “Lajja” which was about the
treatment of Hindus by Muslims in Bangladesh — was here on a visit to launch the
translated versions of her works at a press conference. She had just completed
her engagement when about 20 MIM activists, led by MLAs Syed Ahmed Pasha Qadri,
Afsar Khan and Moazzam Khan, barged into the conference hall.
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MIM
legislators held,freed
Rajasekhara Reddy condemns attack |
She looked in
disbelief as they hurled abuses against her. Demanding to know “who had mustered
the guts to invite her to Hyderabad, they wanted Ms. Nasrin to be handed over to
them.
Without further
warning, they began throwing books, bouquets, chairs, and whatever they could
lay their hands on at her. Some persons in the mob almost got hold of her but
Narisetti Innaiah, rationalist and chairman of the Center for Inquiry, who was
her host, shielded her. He was injured in his face. A couple of journalists who
went to their rescue also sustained injuries in the scuffle.
Ms. Nasrin
escaped unhurt though she was badly shaken by the sudden attack that came
minutes after she made a categorical statement that she would continue to fight
against evil “till my death”.
She said
that she was not afraid of the fatwas issued by fundamentalist and extremist
elements.
She had
earlier released the Telugu version of her work “Shodh” translated
by V. Komala, Dr. Innaiah’s wife, and Jung Chang’s bestseller “Wild
Swans,” a book proscribed in China.
Repeated
requests by the journalists and the organisers to the MIM men to leave
the place went unheeded. They broke the glass door of the conference
hall where Ms. Nasrin was taking shelter, protected by the organisers
and some press photographers. The protesters raised slogans against
Ms. Nasrin.
The police,
who intervened at this stage, arrested the MLAs and their supporters.
Ms. Nasrin was then escorted out of the hall by police and moved to
an undisclosed location in the city. She left for Kolkata by air later.
The MIM
MLAs were charged with rioting, trespass, criminal intimidation, causing
hurt and unlawful assembly. They were produced before a magistrate who
released them on bail.
Chief
Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy condemned the attack and said stern
action would be taken.
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