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Grant citizenship to Taslima: BJP

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday demanded that Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen be given full protection and citizenship.

BJP deputy leader in the Lok Sabha and Parliamentary Party spokesman V.K. Malhotra made the demand while commenting on the violence in Kolkata.

Mr. Malhotra said the party sought a statement from the Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil on the Kolkata situation. Besides, he noted that India always readily gave shelter to those who wanted it.

The Dalai Lama was India’s honoured guest for decades, and there was no reason to deny Ms. Nasreen visa or even citizenship rights.

“India believes in freedom of speech,” Mr. Malhotra said, adding that she should be free to speak and write what she wanted. When writers here were free to write on subjects that might be sensitive for some Hindus, there should be no justification in protesting against Ms. Nasreen’s writings simply because some Muslims find them offensive.

The BJP had alleged that a large percentage of victims of violence in Nandigram were Muslims.

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