By Sukant Deepak New Delhi, Aug 14 : As pictures of the author Salman Rushdie being stabbed multiple times on stage in New York by Hadi Matar, who is suspected of being a defender of Shia extremism, continue to haunt other authors, one of them Taslima Nasrin with whom numerous fatwas have been issued in response to her “anti-Islamic remarks” states that she is deeply disturbed following the incident in which a religious leader, speaking at an assembly of thousands in Pakistan yesterday, demanded her to be executed.
Famous for her writings about the oppression of women and her criticism of religion, many of her writings have been banned in Bangladesh which is the country of her birthplace.
She is in exile since the year 1994.After spending longer than 10 years in Europe and the US, she moved to India in 2004.
“While I’ve had numerous fatwas imposed against me in the past however this is the first time I have been questioned in front of large numbers and demanded I be killed.Who wouldn’t be shocked by this? Check out my Twitter handle There are a lot of comments that say that, after Rushdie it’s now my turn.I’m still unsure what to do with these tweets.Perhaps I shouldn’t be able to decide.
If something happens to me, the public should be aware.Of of course, I have protection, but nobody will be frightened because of the events that happened to Rushdie isn’t it?” she says to IANS.
Discuss with her the unusual silence of moderate Muslims when violence is displayed in the name of Islam and she claims that they have a “different characteristic”.
“While certain progressive Muslims are opposed to violent acts, they’re scared to speak up because they fear that it will cause them to put their lives in danger.However, silence is of two varieties — one that comes from fear, and the other from a willingness to support them without saying any words.”
While pointing out that various religions have slowly developed and have changed with the times, and started accepting men and women equal, they can still be in danger when Islam is criticized, Nasrin adds: “If I look into Islam and find it to be a source of criticism, I am sure I will be targeted.It is unfortunate that Islam has been spared from criticism.We must not forget that Islamic rule was used for political reasons as well.
“Instead of laws based on equality and justice, they are enacted rules that are against them.Children are being taught to become radicals and terrorists.
So how can you expect to change?” she concludes.
(Sukant Deepak is reached at [email protected])
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