Muslim leaders and intellectuals strongly condemned the attack on controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen terming the incident as 'shameful' and 'barbaric'.
NEW DELHI: Muslim leaders and intellectuals on Friday strongly condemned the attack on controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen terming the incident as 'shameful' and 'barbaric'.
"The incident was outrageous and shameful. In a civilised society, you have a right to approve or disapprove of anything," noted lyricist and author Javed Akhtar said.
Observing that fundamentalists are becoming bolder and 'bolder by the day' he said, "these (the attackers) are the same people who criticise Bajrang Dal and VHP. What is the difference between them and the Hindu fundamentalist organizations? "
"Fundamentalists are getting bolder and bolder as they can get away with almost anything. That is the problem," Akhtar said.
Delhi Minorities Commission Chairperson Kamal Farooqui said the incident was condemnable, specially as three MLAs were involved in it.
But, he said, the government should also ensure that Nasreen is not allowed to do or write anything which hurts the sentiments of Muslims.
"The government should immediately cancel her visa and make her go out of the country," he said adding, "she should realise that this is not Bangladesh or Pakistan, but India where the sentiments of all communities are respected".
Activists of a Muslim group yesterday disrupted a book release function in Hyderabad attended by Nasreen and attempted to assault her though she escaped unhurt.
The group of over 40 Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) workers were led by party MLAs Afsar Khan, Ahmed Pasha and Mouzam Khan when they barged into the press club in Hyderabad yesterday.
Former National Commission for Minorities Chairperson Tahir Mehmood said, "It is not brutal and barbaric. Religious people will never indulge in these kind of activities.
"It is only political people who do such things and mislead the masses," he said.
For historian Irfan Habib "It is because of the immunity that bigots such as the MIM and other fundamentalist organisations enjoy that they feel emboldened enough to attack a writer of Taslima's calibre".
Mehmood said, "anywhere else it can be expected but in a country like India".
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