Author lambasts Indian ‘city of cowards’

A CONTROVERSIAL Muslim author has branded the City of Joy a “city of cowards,” after her book launch at the International Kolkata Book Fair was canceled following threats from Islamic extremists.

The seventh part of Taslima Nasrin’s autobiography, Nirbasan, (Exile) was slated to be launched on February 1.

Following the cancellation the book was launched elsewhere by Nabarun Bhattacharya, son of feminist author and social activist Mahasweta Devi.

The decision to cancel the launch by the Publishers and Booksellers Guild was a violation of basic human rights, Bhattacharya said.

Responding to the criticism, the secretary of the guild said threats had been received from two extremist groups and the guild did not want to risk trouble at the fair, which began on Jan. 25 and ends on Feb. 5.

The trouble stems from an earlier installment of Nasrin’s autobiography, Lajja (Shame), which was banned by Islamic fundamentalists in Bangladesh, claiming it hurt Muslim sentiments.

Nasrin, a Bangladeshi doctor-turned-feminist author, who lives in Delhi under state protection, was unimpressed with the decision and accused organizers and authorities of bowing to extremists.

Report from ucanews.com