In a recent interview vis-a-vis Devil’s Advocate Karan Thapar on CNN-IBN, Taslima Nasrin really disappointed me. I never knew the fiery author could be so shallow. She looked stupid at times and made me wonder – does this woman know what she says?
Karan Thapar made Taslima accept at the beginning that it’s not just Islam but all religions that are bad. At one point, Karan Thapar accused her of violating peoples’ privacy by writing about her sexual relations with them and all Taslima Nasrin could come up with was meaningless answers. Taslima said she had to say ‘everything’ in her autobiography. But what about their privacy? Her explanation: “They didn’t tell me that they need privacy”.
Karan Thapar: You see its not just people’s privacy that you have invaded you have also compromised third party. For instance in one of your autobiographies you reveal that Syed Shamsul Haq told you that he was having a relationship with his sister-in-law. That poor woman perhaps didn’t want the world to know but you trumpetted it all over by revealing it.
Taslima Nasrin: You know, I only mentioned the things what was important to me.
Karan Thapar: Why was this important to you?
Taslima Nasrin: Because first time I heard that one big man whom I considered my idol or who was a big writer whom I respected very much and he was saying that he was having sex with that woman or this woman, he wanted to do that thing or this thing, that I actually couldn’t imagine.
Karan Thapar: Quite right. You wanted to teach him a lesson or you wanted to pay him back in his own coin but as a result you have compromised the poor sister-in-law. She may have wanted privacy, she may have wanted secrecy she may not have wanted the world to know that she was having a relationship with her brother-in-law you have done that for her.
Taslima Nasrin: I have no intentions to embarrass her.
Karan Thapar: But you have done it.
Taslima Nasrin: No I did my things. I was writing my autobiography so I have to tell everything that I knew was truth and I had to tell the truth.
Read the full interview on CNN-IBN.
I agree with Taslima Nasrin on some grounds and disagree on some. Personally, I don’t give a damn to religions and don’t care if someone is finding fault with religion(s). She talks about women’s rights which is fine. She has written about the oppression on Hindus in Bangladesh, which is very true I know. But at present she is only running after publicity. Finding faults with Islam is one thing. But was the need to defame the Prophet Muhammad? Surely, it was to attract attention. And it was logical as long as she was presenting her views on woman’s rights, human rights and giving us a picture of the Bangladesh society through her writing but could she not have spared us of her sexual escapades in the name of autobiography! In fact, her later books have little literary value but enough cheap titillation.
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I couldn’t agree more!
Taslima Nasreen’s earlier works, especially her short poems have a master-stroke, they are succinct, make a point, and the language is beautiful without being unnecessarily ornamental.
But you are right when you write that now all she’s after is publicity, and she’s chosen the cheapest, yet easiest way to do it- sell sex! Even uptil “Amar Meybela” I thought recollections of her sexual experiences were a necessariy part of the novel, as they shaped her identity and opinions, but after that the sexual details started cropping up for no other reason than to create a furor in the media, they added nothing to her writing anymore.
Its a pity that a writer as talented as her chose the easy was out.
Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee. India
Amber pet, Hyderabad, A.P, India, 500013
Phone:-09391051586, Fax:-040-27403392, Email: -clmci@hotmail.com
Press Release
Condemn the hatred writings and violent attack
Attack on Tasleema is undemocratic, and hurting the Religious sentiments of Muslim by Tasleema is the violation of Indian constitution and fundamental Rights of Indian citizen
Civil liberties Monitoring Committee. India strongly condemning the attack on Tasleema Nasreen by the Members of legislative Assembly of MIM,at the press club in Hyderabad. This undemocratic act is politically motivated, well preplanned and high level drama by taking in to the confidence of police, by this incident the beneficiaries are MIM,and Tasleema Nasreen,who needs publicity one for vote bank politics and other for Literature marketing. Civil Liberties believe in a democratic protest in dignified manner so that our fellow citizen also understands the real problem.
This took place in side the press club so it is also the attack on the press and democratic structure of India; civil liberties express its deep concern over the incident and also expressing the solidarity with the print and electronic media.
Apart from the fact that Taslima Nasreen’s writing continue to hurt the sentiments of a vast cross-section of Muslims,CLMCI also condemn these type of writing under the garb of Freedom of expression and on the name of literature.we belives that once freedom of expression ends when the others fundamental rights are violated.
A problem also lies wherein Tasleema does not understand the social and cultural values of this sub continent. Our culture and ethos is based on the foundations of a unique secularism, and social and cultural values based on the concept of “Sarva Dharma Samabhava”, unparallel in the world and which is evolving as we speak. Tasleema also wrote a book on her personal experiences and her illegal sexual relation ship with the Intellectuals’, politicians and others, this also becomes big controversy, and these intellectuals which names are mentioned in the book protested and filed a suit in the court against Tasleema .this act of Tasleema against dignity and self respect of Indian women
Hindus and Muslims along with their compatriots from other religions, enjoy, experience and live in a vibrant multi-religio-cultural milieu, which is very different from Taslima’s experiences in Bangladesh, If Taslima’s intention is to genuinely contribute to the cause of reform, she is going about it in the wrong way. She cannot achieve this by constantly berating Muslims, their beloved Prophet Muhammad ( p.b.u.h.) and Islam and calling for changes in the text of the Holy Quran itself. This only reveals her utter ignorance of historical processes and the role of religion as a social force of progress in the human quest for an egalitarian society.
At the time when there is a national consensus that, there has to be a national effort to draw out Muslims from the socio-economic backwardness as well as a similar support for justice for the victims of the Mumbai carnage of 1992-93, it is imperative that Muslims focus their energies on issues of national consequence.
The Muslim community would be best advised to see through the manipulative designs and ignore such minor and insignificant issues. The only democratic and civilized way to deal with Taslima is to either ignore her or answer her with the pen; violence is not an option even to be considered. This has been the tradition and spirit of Islam.
Also the democratically and politically illiterate Muslim extremist fringe would be best advised to study the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) himself and learn the basic lessons of universal peace, respect and compassion.
Recent history has shown, that a few more attacks on Taslima Nasreen will mean that she will be nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature, if not win it!
We demands with Govt of India to instruct and warn the tasleema nasreen not hurt the religious sentiments of Indian masses on the name of freedom of expression, and respect the Indian constitution and the fundamental rights of Indian citizens.
Lateef Mohd Khan Professor.Rehana sultana
I can t figure how pale these sordid accusations are in comparison with ALL THAT T . Nasreen has done for her Land ! !
!
What is left to her now since she s given her soul for Bengladeshis , fighting agst ppl who would always be wanting to see her as a sinned women (who like money and so ?)
to love one s land is nt to to accept blindly that domination of religion on minds that includes that of mens on womens!
please do live for sex ppl, not for pre programmed principles
LONG Live to Taslima Nasreen