India against French move to honour Taslima

NEW DELHI: India has poured cold water on a French government move to present a prestigious award to controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen here during the upcoming visit of President Nicholas Sarkozy.

Nasreen, who has been kept in virtual confinement somewhere in Delhi, was named as recipient of Simone de Beauvoir award by the French government on January nine.

Sensing that she would not be able to travel out of India to receive the award named after famous writer Beauvoir, France had proposed to honour her during Sarkozy's two-day visit here from Friday.

The Ministry of External Affairs, however, has conveyed to the French government that it disfavours such a move, sources said.

The government, wary of repercussions, has cited the recent violence here over her writings as the reason for disfavouring such a conferment, the sources said.

Widespread violence was witnessed in West Bengal a few months back after some radical islamists demanded that she be thrown out of the country for hurting the sentiments of Muslims through her writings.

The government has said she was free to travel outside the country to receive the award given to her for her writings on women's rights.

Responding to the announcement of the award, Nasreen had told PTI over phone from an undisclosed location that she felt 'honoured'.

"This honour coming on Beauvoir's 100th birth anniversary gives solace at this period. More because I am honoured in France for my writings and views while facing harassment in Bangladesh and India," she had said.