Protest erupts as Taslima Nasreen enters Aurangabad

Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen had to board the flight back from Aurangabad airport to Mumbai, because of protests. The police said this happened because a section of the society started protesting against Nasreen’s visit to the city.

She flew into Aurangabad last evening at Chikal thana Airport from Mumbai but the controversial author had to retreat back to Mumbai in half a day as protestors started chanting slogans like “Taslima Go Back” outside the Aurangabad airport.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone-II) Rahul Shrirame said that Nasreen had to be sent back by next flight to maintain law and order in the city located in central Maharashtra, Indian Express reported. The police officer said that the author was advised to return and she agreed without any question. Taslima was on a personal trip.

Apart from the airport, protestors had rounded the hotel where Nasreen had decided to stay during her three-day visit. And Imtiyaz Jaleel, the AIMIM legislator from the Aurangabad central constituency was leading the protest at the airport.

“We will not allow her to step on the soil of our city,” said Jaleel adding that her writings have “hurt” the religious sentiments of Muslims across the world.

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She had come to visit the tourist places in and around the city including the world heritage sites of Ajanta and Ellora.

This is not the first time Nasreen had to return from a city because of protests against her arrival. Earlier in February when she had to speak in a panel at the Jaipur Literature Festival, her arrival was kept under wraps to make a comfortable entry of the author into the venue.

The Union Home Ministry extended her visa for one year, with effect from July 23, 2017. The author is a citizen of Sweden but she has been getting Indian visa since 2004. She has been living in exile after she left Bangladesh in 1994. This happened because of stanch views from fundamentalist groups against some of her writings.

Picture credit- Top News