Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen has made an appeal to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, asking for permission to remain in India, which she refers to as her “second home.” In a post on X, she addressed Shah, stating, “Dear AmitShahji Namaskar. I live in India because I love this great country. It has been my second home for the last 20 years. However, the Ministry of Home Affairs has not extended my residence permit since July 2022. I’m very worried and would be immensely grateful if you could allow me to stay. Warm regards.”
A vocal critic of communalism, Nasreen has been in exile since 1994, having fled Bangladesh due to backlash from Islamist extremists regarding her writings on communal issues and women’s rights. Some of her works, such as her groundbreaking novel “Lajja” (1993) and her autobiography “Amar Meyebela” (1998), were banned by the Bangladeshi government due to their contentious themes.
“Lajja” faced significant criticism for its depiction of the violence and atrocities committed against Bengali Hindus following the Babri Masjid demolition in India. Over the years, Nasreen lived in various countries, including Sweden, Germany, France, and the United States, before moving to Kolkata, India, in 2004, where she stayed until 2007. After a brief period in Delhi, during which she endured a physical attack and was placed under house arrest, she left India in 2008 for the U.S., returning to India a few years later.
Recently, Nasreen commented on the political turmoil in Bangladesh following Sheikh Hasina’s removal as prime minister. She expressed concerns that Islamic radicals are indoctrinating youth to adopt anti-India, anti-Hindu, and pro-Pakistan sentiments. She noted that recent incidents of violence against Hindus, attacks on journalists, and the release of “terrorists” from prison indicate that the unrest was not a spontaneous student movement, but rather “planned and funded by Islamic jihadis,” according to sources.
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