[Reader-list] Taslima Nasren roughed up in Hyderabad

[rashneek kher]

Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen was today roughed up by MIM activists who
stormed into a book release function here, injuring a Telugu writer and a
press photographer.

Nasreen, here to release the Telugu translation of her latest book "Shodh",
escaped unhurt as organisers and journalists shielded her and escorted her
to safety.

A group of over 40 MIM workers, led by party MLAs Afsar Khan, Ahmed Pasha
and Mouzam Khan, barged into the press club at Somajiguda when the function
was about to end.

Hurling abuse and shouting slogans, the MIM workers surged menacingly
towards the dais as a stunned Nasreen looked on.

They threw papers and books at Nasreen. In the melee, Telugu writer N
Innaiah, the organiser of the function and president of the rationalist
organisation Centre for Inquiry, was injured along with a press
photographer.

Alert organisers and journalists covering the event threw a protective ring
around Nasreen and took her to an adjoining room.

The MIM activists, who demanded that Nasreen should leave immediately, broke
windows and damaged furniture at the venue.

Police then reached the spot and dispersed them.

The three MLAs from the city and their supporters were taken to Banjara
Hills police station, Deputy Commissioner of Police M Madhusudhan Reddy
said.

The manager of the Press Club filed a complaint with police against the
attackers.

A large number of mediapersons gathered at the press club and protested
against the behaviour of the MIM activists. They sought stringent action
against the MLAs and their supporters.

Later, a delegation of journalists led by Indian Journalists Union (IJU)
secretary general K Srinivasa Reddy and Andhra Pradesh Union of Working
Journalists (APUWJ) leader D Amar met Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy
and sought stringent action against the culprits.

The MIM, which has considerable influence in the old city area, is
represented in the Lok Sabha by Asaduddin Owaisi and has five members in the
assembly.

Digvijay Singh, the Congress general secretary in-charge of party affairs in
Andhra Pradesh, condemned the incident and said such attacks had no place in
a liberal society.

The CPI state council termed the incident as an "attack on the freedom of
expression by Muslim fundamentalists" and demanded the immediate arrest of
the MIM legislators and their supporters.
-- 
Rashneek Kher
http://www.nietzschereborn.blogspot.com