Profile of the Firebrand Author
A Bangladeshi poet, novelist, essayist and memoirist, Taslima Nasreen is a trained medical doctor who worked in that profession before she was hounded out of Bangladesh by religious fanatics who could not accept a woman expressing her views on women’s rights, Islam and mullahs; issues that have always raised a storm in conservative societies. The 45 year old is probably the world’s most prolific underground writer, with at least six of her 30 books officially banned in her country and the rest selling covertly.
Her rise to fame did not begin, as many believe, with Lajja (Shame), a novel that describes the predicament of a liberal Hindu family in Bangladesh caught up in the communal backlash that followed the demolition of Babri Masjid. It is a different matter that the ‘documentary novel’ failed on both counts: as document, it was unashamedly biased; as novel, it was trash. But it sold over 100,000 copies, thanks to the hue and cry raised by her strongest detractors, the mullahs. Lajja is the only book where Taslima’s ire is not directed at her favorite punching bag: Islam and its mullahs.
Taslima was already creating a storm in Bengali literary circles during her medical student days. The raw anger and shocking outspokenness of her poems were impressive enough to make several media agencies approach her for writing regular columns for them. She directed her literary talent to write strongly on crimes against women under the garb of religion. Naturally, that had the mullahs baying for her blood. In turn, their collective angst at her strengthened her resolve to be more blunt, fearless and outrageous. It was a collection of these columns, Nirbachita Kalam (Selected Columns) that the 28 year old burst into the Bengali literary world, winning a prestigious literary award by the Anand Bazar Group.
For a writer so young, and for an author who has been on the run for 13 years now, Taslima has an astounding record of works: a dozen collections of poems, four collections of essays, seven novels and five volumes of autobiography, all so inflammatory that few English – language publishers are willing to risk publishing them. Four of the six awards she has won so far for her work are for human rights and not literary merit.
With a language that is direct and even ruthless, Taslima has emerged as one of the most powerful voices in South Asia.
The Controversial Removal from Kolkata
Taslima Nasreen’s forced move from Kolkata is a sad commentary on the state of Indian democracy, the shrinking of secular space in India and growing intolerance of irreverent views. In a country that prides itself on secular credentials and where freedom of speech is sacrosanct, the event marks surrender to ‘Islamic fundamentalists’ in order to promote vote banks. It reflects the intellectual malnutrition that plagues the three main characters involved; the CPI-M, Congress and BJP. However, the party that deserves the highest form of condemnation is the CPI-M. The Marxists claim to be practitioners of realpolitic – high principle married to real-time pragmatism. With the freshly spilt blood not yet dry in Nandigram, an author is hounded out of Kolkata and Sitaram Yechury shamelessly passed the buck to the Centre.
Congress Stand
With an eye on the general elections next year, the Congress, like all the rest of them, is interested in consolidation of religious identities and is readily pandering to the Muslim pressure groups. It would not like to be seen bending backwards to please the minority group, and, has therefore, allowed Taslima to stay on in the country; albeit with the corporate axiom “conditions apply”. It has also accepted, without a murmur, I & B Minister PR Dasmunsi's shameless demand from Taslima that she appologize to the Muslims in this country with folded hands. The Minister has confirmed that taking to violence or resorting to threats pays better dividends than voicing your opinions through ones writing.
The BJP Stand
‘The party with a difference’ has sniffed an opportunity for Congress bashing and belittling CPI-M. Narendra Modi has invited Taslima to come and live in Gujarat. Its loathing for the CPI-M is prompting the party to support Taslima rather that their faith in freedom of expression.
CPI-M Position
The Left Front government in West Bengal, conscious of the 30% minority votebank in the State, has totally succumbed to the Muslim goons in favor of civilized behavior. Taslima was a liability for the Left parties even before the 21 November riots. It is suspected that the riots were deliberately engineered by the Left to deflect public attention from Nandigram blood-letting by its cadres.
Muslim Groups
Majlis-e-Ittehadul Musilmeen (MiM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi Have threatened to eliminate Taslima, with the State remaining a silent and helpless onlooker. The group has influence in old Hyderabad where it has promoted a ghetto mentality among the Muslim residents.
Other Religious Groups
Be they Hindus or Christians, other religious groups have revealed themselves to be extremely thin-skinned when it comes to things religious.
Conclusion
In the ultimate analysis, freedom of any kind can conveniently be relegated to mere lip service if it clashes with the interests of political parties. It is more important for our political parties to remain / gain power than trivia like freedom of speech or expression, decency and the values that majority of Indians are so proud of.
A Bangladeshi poet, novelist, essayist and memoirist, Taslima Nasreen is a trained medical doctor who worked in that profession before she was hounded out of Bangladesh by religious fanatics who could not accept a woman expressing her views on women’s rights, Islam and mullahs; issues that have always raised a storm in conservative societies. The 45 year old is probably the world’s most prolific underground writer, with at least six of her 30 books officially banned in her country and the rest selling covertly.
Her rise to fame did not begin, as many believe, with Lajja (Shame), a novel that describes the predicament of a liberal Hindu family in Bangladesh caught up in the communal backlash that followed the demolition of Babri Masjid. It is a different matter that the ‘documentary novel’ failed on both counts: as document, it was unashamedly biased; as novel, it was trash. But it sold over 100,000 copies, thanks to the hue and cry raised by her strongest detractors, the mullahs. Lajja is the only book where Taslima’s ire is not directed at her favorite punching bag: Islam and its mullahs.
Taslima was already creating a storm in Bengali literary circles during her medical student days. The raw anger and shocking outspokenness of her poems were impressive enough to make several media agencies approach her for writing regular columns for them. She directed her literary talent to write strongly on crimes against women under the garb of religion. Naturally, that had the mullahs baying for her blood. In turn, their collective angst at her strengthened her resolve to be more blunt, fearless and outrageous. It was a collection of these columns, Nirbachita Kalam (Selected Columns) that the 28 year old burst into the Bengali literary world, winning a prestigious literary award by the Anand Bazar Group.
For a writer so young, and for an author who has been on the run for 13 years now, Taslima has an astounding record of works: a dozen collections of poems, four collections of essays, seven novels and five volumes of autobiography, all so inflammatory that few English – language publishers are willing to risk publishing them. Four of the six awards she has won so far for her work are for human rights and not literary merit.
With a language that is direct and even ruthless, Taslima has emerged as one of the most powerful voices in South Asia.
The Controversial Removal from Kolkata
Taslima Nasreen’s forced move from Kolkata is a sad commentary on the state of Indian democracy, the shrinking of secular space in India and growing intolerance of irreverent views. In a country that prides itself on secular credentials and where freedom of speech is sacrosanct, the event marks surrender to ‘Islamic fundamentalists’ in order to promote vote banks. It reflects the intellectual malnutrition that plagues the three main characters involved; the CPI-M, Congress and BJP. However, the party that deserves the highest form of condemnation is the CPI-M. The Marxists claim to be practitioners of realpolitic – high principle married to real-time pragmatism. With the freshly spilt blood not yet dry in Nandigram, an author is hounded out of Kolkata and Sitaram Yechury shamelessly passed the buck to the Centre.
Congress Stand
With an eye on the general elections next year, the Congress, like all the rest of them, is interested in consolidation of religious identities and is readily pandering to the Muslim pressure groups. It would not like to be seen bending backwards to please the minority group, and, has therefore, allowed Taslima to stay on in the country; albeit with the corporate axiom “conditions apply”. It has also accepted, without a murmur, I & B Minister PR Dasmunsi's shameless demand from Taslima that she appologize to the Muslims in this country with folded hands. The Minister has confirmed that taking to violence or resorting to threats pays better dividends than voicing your opinions through ones writing.
The BJP Stand
‘The party with a difference’ has sniffed an opportunity for Congress bashing and belittling CPI-M. Narendra Modi has invited Taslima to come and live in Gujarat. Its loathing for the CPI-M is prompting the party to support Taslima rather that their faith in freedom of expression.
CPI-M Position
The Left Front government in West Bengal, conscious of the 30% minority votebank in the State, has totally succumbed to the Muslim goons in favor of civilized behavior. Taslima was a liability for the Left parties even before the 21 November riots. It is suspected that the riots were deliberately engineered by the Left to deflect public attention from Nandigram blood-letting by its cadres.
Muslim Groups
Majlis-e-Ittehadul Musilmeen (MiM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi Have threatened to eliminate Taslima, with the State remaining a silent and helpless onlooker. The group has influence in old Hyderabad where it has promoted a ghetto mentality among the Muslim residents.
Other Religious Groups
Be they Hindus or Christians, other religious groups have revealed themselves to be extremely thin-skinned when it comes to things religious.
Conclusion
In the ultimate analysis, freedom of any kind can conveniently be relegated to mere lip service if it clashes with the interests of political parties. It is more important for our political parties to remain / gain power than trivia like freedom of speech or expression, decency and the values that majority of Indians are so proud of.
1 comment:
I have not found any decent profile of ACP Rajbir Singh. It would be great to have one source from which I can know all about him.
Post a Comment