Hyderabad (India), SVM News, August 9, 2007: Noted Bangladeshi novelist Taslima Nasreen was attacked by the activists of Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) at a book release function at the press club at Somajiuda in Hyderabad today evening.
A group of over 40 MIM workers, led by MLAs Afsar Khan, Ahmed Pasha Khadri and Mozum Khan, stormed the Press Club barged into the press club premises and raised slogans against Taslima.
The function was held to release the Telugu translation of Taslima's latest novel "Shodh". When the function was about to end, the MIM activists suddenly barged into the conference hall, attacked the press photographers, damaged the furniture and glass panes and some of them reached the dais and roughed up the novelist.
The MIM, which has considerable influence in the old city area, is represented in the Lok Sabha by Asaduddin Owaisi and has five members in the assembly.
Deputy commissioner of police M Madhusudhan Reddy said that seven persons including three MLAs were arrested for trying to attack Taslima. Later they were released on bail.
"I believe in democracy. I hope to live safely in this country as a democrat. The people who attacked me are in a minority. I get support and sympathy from a majority of people. I thank them," Taslima said.
Nasreen, whose works including the banned novel "Lajja" had raised the hackles of Muslim organisations, was safely escorted to the airport with the help of journalists and the organisers of the function. Several feminist writers and representatives of organisations were present.
Later, a delegation of journalists led by K Srinivasa Reddy, the secretary eneral of the Indian Journalists Union and D Amar, leader of Andhra Pradesh Union of working journalists met Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and sought stringent action against the culprits.
The Union government meanwhile condemned the attack as shameful. The Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, Priyaranjan Das Munsi, said it is highly regrettable if any person is subjected to any attack whether he or she is from India or abroad. "We condemn the attack on Taslima," he said.
Taslima currently lives in Kolkoata in India since fleeing her homeland in 1994 after radical muslims described her writings as blasphemous and demanded her execution. She is facing fatwas which were issued against her for her radical views against Islam.
"Government had already provided security to Nasreen and it will be further reviewed," P.R. Roy, the Home Secretary of West Bengal said to the Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service. "Her visa was to expire this month, had been extended for another six months," he added.
Paul Ciniraj, national president of the Christian Ministers of the Churches of India condemned the attack towards noted novelist and free thinker Taslima Nasreen.
Just last month, the same MLAs of MIM Afsar Khan and Ahmed Pasha and their supporters pulled out the students and forcely demanded to remove Prasanthi, a woman lecturer of political science from St. Ann's College for Women in Hyderabad, accused insulting Islam by praising Salman Rushdi in one of her classes. Prashanti offered an apology, but the protesters were not satisfied. Finally she was suspended by the management on July 16.
News at SVM site (with pictures): http://salemvoice.org/news215.html
A group of over 40 MIM workers, led by MLAs Afsar Khan, Ahmed Pasha Khadri and Mozum Khan, stormed the Press Club barged into the press club premises and raised slogans against Taslima.
The function was held to release the Telugu translation of Taslima's latest novel "Shodh". When the function was about to end, the MIM activists suddenly barged into the conference hall, attacked the press photographers, damaged the furniture and glass panes and some of them reached the dais and roughed up the novelist.
The MIM, which has considerable influence in the old city area, is represented in the Lok Sabha by Asaduddin Owaisi and has five members in the assembly.
Deputy commissioner of police M Madhusudhan Reddy said that seven persons including three MLAs were arrested for trying to attack Taslima. Later they were released on bail.
"I believe in democracy. I hope to live safely in this country as a democrat. The people who attacked me are in a minority. I get support and sympathy from a majority of people. I thank them," Taslima said.
Nasreen, whose works including the banned novel "Lajja" had raised the hackles of Muslim organisations, was safely escorted to the airport with the help of journalists and the organisers of the function. Several feminist writers and representatives of organisations were present.
Later, a delegation of journalists led by K Srinivasa Reddy, the secretary eneral of the Indian Journalists Union and D Amar, leader of Andhra Pradesh Union of working journalists met Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and sought stringent action against the culprits.
The Union government meanwhile condemned the attack as shameful. The Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, Priyaranjan Das Munsi, said it is highly regrettable if any person is subjected to any attack whether he or she is from India or abroad. "We condemn the attack on Taslima," he said.
Taslima currently lives in Kolkoata in India since fleeing her homeland in 1994 after radical muslims described her writings as blasphemous and demanded her execution. She is facing fatwas which were issued against her for her radical views against Islam.
"Government had already provided security to Nasreen and it will be further reviewed," P.R. Roy, the Home Secretary of West Bengal said to the Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service. "Her visa was to expire this month, had been extended for another six months," he added.
Paul Ciniraj, national president of the Christian Ministers of the Churches of India condemned the attack towards noted novelist and free thinker Taslima Nasreen.
Just last month, the same MLAs of MIM Afsar Khan and Ahmed Pasha and their supporters pulled out the students and forcely demanded to remove Prasanthi, a woman lecturer of political science from St. Ann's College for Women in Hyderabad, accused insulting Islam by praising Salman Rushdi in one of her classes. Prashanti offered an apology, but the protesters were not satisfied. Finally she was suspended by the management on July 16.
News at SVM site (with pictures): http://salemvoice.org/news215.html
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