Islam may face govt action for his book

IPS officer Nazrul Islam, whose book Musalmander Koroniyo (Dos for the Muslims) that was published 10 days ago and its copies were allegedly confiscated by a team of Enforcement Branch officials, has invited the wrath of the Mamata Banerjee government. He is most likely to face disciplinary action, something which the Additional Director General (ADG) of Police (Training) never experienced even when he took on the Left Front government by highlighting how the CPM allegedly politicised the police force in the state.

"The Chief Minister is very angry. The book contains material that are highly inflammatory. We will take disciplinary action against the officer," a senior state government officer told The Indian Express.

The highly placed source, however, said the government is weighing the pros and cons before taking any action since Islam is know to approach courts on most issues. "He (Islam) is a litigant person and we will have to take every step by weighing all the pros and cons. A few of us are reading the book and consulting lawyers. Soon there will be action,'' the senior officer added.

Islam, when contacted said he was not aware of any government move. "I have not heard anything from the government side. Let us see," said the IPS officer.

Islam, who was earlier in the good books of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has allegedly criticised the Trinamool-led government's policy towards Muslims.

Before the Trinamool came to power, 70 books authored by Islam were published, which included the one that was directly critical of the Left Front government, the police, role of the CPM in controlling the police administration etc. Following the publication of the book and also an article in a Kolkata magazine that was critical of the then government, Islam was summoned at the Writers' Buildings. The then Home Secretary Pradas Ranjan Ray reportedly chided him by asking him to refrain from criticising the government. "You cannot criticise the government while you are still there,'' Ray had reportedly told Islam. However, the matter ended there.

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