Khaleda and Buddhadeb queue up in appeasement of Mullahcracy
Prime
minister, Khaleda Zia of Bangladesh adopted a mean and cruel instance of
inhuman approach to banish Taslima Nasreen from her native land, in perpetuity,
which was repeated by the allegedly culture minded chief minister of West
Bengal. The government of Khaleda encouraged the fundamentalist fringe in a
secret manner to excite the public mind to a frenzy, through unrestrained foul
propaganda and hate and followed it up with the cry of “Off with Taslimas head”
like the Queen of cards in Alice children classic, and filled the streets of
Dhaka with mayhem and violence. Khaleda could not find any offense in the foul
propaganda of the fundamentalist crowd, or in the fatwas of decapitation or in
the ferocious violence unleashed by the Mullahs.She held Taslima guilty of provocation.Subsequently arrogated all the onus of disturbance on Taslima and
in the guise of safety of Taslima, banished her from the land of her birth and
work. Strangely, in West Bengal too, the same drama was staged.
Khaleda
deed was on expected lines but, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's action did the
unexpected, because, the political party, to which he appeared to belong, the
CPM had in the past exhibited unalloyed secularism.In this instance, the part
played by the Party and it's government was deplorable.This government forced
the unfortunate Taslima into a flight bound for Rajasthan in the guise of
safety and subsequently, arranged for the police to propagate, that she,
Taslima, has left of her own volition- it may be noted, that, the CM is also
the minister for police.The chosen destination Rajasthan, a then BJP ruled
state was loaded with motive to denigrate Taslima further in the attempt of
bringing her secular thought to be besmirched. Surprising that, such meanness
can be exhibited in attempt to exculpate themselves and to blacken others at
the same time. After a few days of the incidence, Taslima reiterated, that, she
did not leave kolkata of her own will and that, she looks forward to return to
kolkata. Needless to say, nobody was taken in by the hateful action and
camouflage and propaganda of Buddhadeb babu and his cohorts.In 2005 itself,
Buddhababu had informed the central government that, they did not approve
of Taslima's permanent stay at kolkata. Dainik Statesman had highlighted a news
item in this regard on 14-3-2005.
Subsequent
to the Babri Masjid episode, the ferocious torture,excesses and violence that
was unleashed upon the Bangladesh minorities ( Hindus) had found mention in
Taslima's novel “LAJJA” and this enraged the Muslim fundamentalist fringe to a
furious level. The secular forces should have congratulated Taslima for her
boldness in bringing the shame to light.Wonder of wonders, the CPM leadership
merged their voice with the Muslim fundamentalists! Since this time, Buddhababu
and his cohorts used Taslima as the proverbial sacrifice for appeasement of the
Muslim fundamentalist fringe in attempt to placate the vote bank that, according
to them, sways to the tune of the Mullahcracy.
In the Muslim dominated pockets of Murshidabad and Maldah,the followers of Buddhababu
faced landslide defeat in the Panchayet election. Thus, to regain lost ground,
Buddha acceded to the Muslim fundamentalist demand and banned Taslima's
“Dwikhandito” and robbed the freedom of speech of Taslima. Even this did not
bring relief,the CPM failed to win three seats in Murshidabad and one in
Maldah. In spite of this, their new find enthusiasm in placating the Muslim
fundamentalist fringe did not abate. On 30-4-2005, a cultural group “Swar O
Abritti” had extended an invitation to Taslima. The Muslim fundamentalists
roared, that Medinipur will have bloodbath if Taslima makes an appearance. The
government led by Buddhababu immediately complied and forced the function to be
abandoned. Last BOIMELA at Shiliguri in its inauguration found Taslima as an
invitee, kneejerk roar of the Muslim fundamentalists fetched faithful
compliance of Buddhababu's cohorts in excluding Taslima from the function.
Buddhababu, the alleged secularist,found it convenient to choose Mullahcracy
over the secular and face of feminism Taslima. Consequently, Buddhababu and his
cohorts have finally done the expected, and expelled Taslima from West Bengal.
The unholy
alliance, that was covertly being perpetrated, between CPM and the Muslim fundamentalist fringe, was shamefully unveiled on21-11-2007. The Mad fringe
spent the whole day in unprecedented violence, arson and mayhem on the avenues
of Kolkata to demand cancellation of visa of Taslima, the day ended in Mr.
Biman Bose in echoing the same. In the name of religion, the miscreants
attacked the police, burnt buses and trams,held the whole city of kolkata at
ransom but the police of “Singur-Nandigram fame of tolerance” exhibited exemplary forbearance (Buddha police is not well known for forbearance in
people's movement). Again, the same ferocious fundamentalists showed extreme
pacifism and forbearance when at the end of the day, when Exhaled Biman Bose
led a peace procession through the desecrated locality. Fundamentalists are
free to carry out unlimited violence and arson and the police will forbear, and
when Biman Babu leads peace procession, the fundamentalists will forbear- what a
peaceful co-existence! An example of creative understanding and coexistence.
The next day found Taslima extruded out of kolkata. One ugly script and a
contemptible effort at direction of the theater of Taslima expulsion. The
government of Buddhadev had earlier conspired Taslima expulsion also. Pliant
Lalbazar police brass were induced to threaten Taslima, but this attempt did
not succeed.The mode and the fact of ejecting Taslima from kolkata was not only
undemocratic,inhuman and illegal, but was contrary to Bengal's, especially
Kolkata's culture, and tradition. During the twenties and thirtys of the
previous century, the Muslim fundamentalists had persecuted Quazi Abdul Wadud,
Quazi Motahar Hussein, poet Abdul Kader, Abdul Hussein and other Muslim
intellectuals, by declaring them as enemies of Islam and kafir and forced and
humiliated them to publicly rub their nose on the ground, consequently these
intellectuals left Dacca and sought asylum at Calcutta for self preservation.
Calcutta had offered safety and honour.
After
partition in 1947, Said Mujtaba Ali, noted literateur, and then principal of
Bogura College had to forsake the then East Pakistan and seek asullum at
Calcutta. His assertion, that the poesy of Rabindra Nath Tagore was superior to
that of Iqbalenraged the Muslim fundamentalists, who reacted by declaring Ali
as pall bearer of Hindus and atheist and attacked him to cause bodily harm.
1971 freedom struggle of East Pakistan, presaged the entry of over 10 million
refugees who crossed over to save themselves from the brutality of muslim
fundamentalists and Pak soldiers. 90% of these were affectionately accomodated
in Calcutta and west bengal. This is the nature and culture of Kolkata and west
bengal.Persons displaced from Dacca by muslim fundamentalists and fanatics have
found refuge. Earlier, Raja Rammohan Ray and Eashwarchandra struggled for
social change, which enraged the Hindu fundamentalists, but none sought their
decapitation or expel them out of their hearth. The joint action of the CPM in
cohort with the muslim fundamentalists and expelled Taslima from Kolkata has
besmirched the fair name of Kolkata as an asylum of the progressive.Kolkata did
react, but the magnitude of exhibition of displeasure was disproportioned.This
belied the Kolkata culture.
(N.B. This was written in Bengali when Taslima Nasrin was exiled from Kolkata by the left Govt. in 2007)
(N.B. This was written in Bengali when Taslima Nasrin was exiled from Kolkata by the left Govt. in 2007)
