(((Especially given that her ten-year-old novel about Moslems oppressing women got these mujihadeen to eagerly and publicly vie to cut Taslima's head off.
"Oppress women, who, us? What a deadly insult!")))
Link: The Statesman.
Clerics bay for Taslima blood
Statesman News Service
KOLKATA, Aug. 17: Ms Taslima Nasreen’s worries are far from over. Barely two kilometres from Writers’ Buildings, Muslim religious leaders from the city and Hyderabad today issued an ultimatum to Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, now in Delhi to attend the CPI-M Politburo meeting, to deport the Bangladeshi writer from the country within a month after which they will offer “unlimited amount” of money to anyone who beheads her for “defaming Islam and the Prophet” in her books.
Ms Nasreen appeared unperturbed by the fatwa and told The Statesman that she would apply for Indian citizenship next week even as clerics criticised the Congress-led UPA government, I&B minister Mr PR Das Munshi in particular, for offering asylum to the controversial writer. ((("Appeared unperturbed," eh? I guess she could cower, shiver all over and beg their forgiveness for having written a feminist novel ten years ago.)))
More than 200 members of the Muslim community attended a public meeting at Esplanade where the announcement was made by the Shahi Imam of Tipu Sultan Masjid, Syed Md Noroor Rahman Barkati and Majidullah Khan Farhad of Majlis Bachao Committee from Hyderabad. Two other clerics from Hyderabad, including Maulana Hasibul Hasan, general secretary of the Shunni Ulema Board, were also present. The Imam issued an open letter to the chief minister which, however, did not mention anything about the fatwa.
The fiery speeches were rendered in the presence of at least two deputy commissioners of police who had virtually set up a gauntlet around Esplanade. Strangely, DC (headquarters) Mr Gyanwant Singh said he was not aware of any such incident. Despite repeated queries, even the chief secretary, Mr AK Deb, remained tightlipped.
The clerics sounded determined. “Whoever speaks against our Prophet with malicious intention should be eliminated. Protecting Taslima is equal to state terrorism. I will be the first person to shoot her. Letting her go free and air her views may lead to a carnage”, Mr Farhad told The Statesman.
(((There may be something to this warning... for instance, I've been known to write some sardonic sci-fi stories about Islam, and sure enough, carnage ensued. Granted, it was mostly Sunnis slaughtering Sunnis, Shi'ites,
Kurds and even harmless, little-known Yezidis, but you can't be too careful with these state-terror-equivalent novels.)))(((I wonder if I could get a state to actually *commission*
a state-terror-equivalent novel. That would be kind of awesome, wouldn't it? Maybe I – one man – could *depopulate an entire city* with stinging, sarcastic prose! Move over John Robb!)))The Shahi Imam of Tipu Sultan Masjid even dared police to arrest him if the administration found him a threat. “We kept quiet all these years because Taslima maintained a low profile in Kolkata. But on 9 August she started making public appearance and publicising her work that should be banned”, he said.
The fresh death threat comes just over a week after the writer was attacked in Hyderabad Press Club. She was there for the launch of her book Shodh in Telugu. Three Andhra Pradesh MLAs of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) were among those who physically attacked her with bouquets, flower pots and chairs. An MIM splinter group had even talked of “beheading” her.
Intellectuals in the city reacted strongly against the imam of Tipu Sultan Masjid and other Islamic clerics. (((Since they well know their necks are next.)))
“We live in a secular state. People can say things like this in an Islamic state, but they have no right to issue such threats in India. The government should take steps against them. There is no place for fatwabazi in a democracy like India,” said Bibhash Chakrabarty, theatre director.
Shaonli Mitra, eminent theatre personality, said: “I might have differences with Taslima, but it’s ridiculous for someone to say they will kill her to silence her. In fact, by saying such things, religious fundamentalists are ensuring that she gets more publicity when she speaks against Islam. When people talk of things such as issuing fatwa, according to me it’s not only a crime, but also a moral crime. By saying such things they are not showing any respect for their own religion nor humanity.”
Mahashweta Devi, Ashok Mitra, Shankho Ghosh, Amlan Dutta, Sujato Bhadra, Dipankar Chakraborty, Bibhas Chakrabarty and many other writers and artistes have issued a statement against the 9 August incident in Hyderabad Press Club. “We demand legal action against those who assaulted Nasreen in such a way,” the statement reads. (((Put me on the mailing list, boys.)))
“How can the Imam decide to send away Taslima from our country? We really cannot encourage such fanaticism,” said Mahashweta Devi.
Writer Samaresh Majumdar said: “People who issue fatwas are going against the Constitution.” (((Not that this is stoppin' any fundies in the good old USA.)))
“Not only should the cultural fraternity protest against such things, there should be a public outcry. We live in a democracy. In times when we are speaking of peace, progress, unity, it is shameful when people say such fanatical things. Today they are registering intolerance against Taslima, tomorrow they might target someone else,” said Usha Ganguly, theatre personality.
