Activists call for Taslima’s return to Kolkata

“The political parties are only concerned about their votebank and no one has the courage to talk about this,” said CAAMB convenor Mohit Roy. “As a writer in the democratic set-up of our country,she has the right to write anything.”

Roy said the organisation has been campaigning for allowing her to come to the city for the last three years,but has failed to make any headway. They contend that since there is no longer a ban on her books,she should be allowed in the city.

“People seem to have forgotten the issue,” said Chayan Roy,another member of CAAMP. “Not only the government,even sections of civil society talk no more about this.”

A women’s organisation — Women Against Oppression — also organised a discussion in the Press Club to garner support for the author.

“We have decided to call November 22 the “Lajja Divas” (Day of Shame) ¿ that was the day she was forced to leave our secular and so-called culturally rich city,” said Swati Mitra,the secretary of WAO.

She said on Monday,author Mahasweta Devi,theatre personality Kaushik Sen and poet Joy Goswami will be present to share their views on the issue.

On November 21,2007,thousands took to the streets demanding that the author leave the city.

The Army was called in to tackle the situation. The next day,Taslima left.

In exile since 1994,she had stayed in Kolkata from 2004 to 2007.