Taslima sustains minor injuries; Leaves for Kolkata
Hyderabad, August 10, 2007The press club in the state capital Hyderabad turned violent when controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin was attacked by the MLAs and followers owing allegiance to the Majlis Ittehadul Musilimeen (MIM). The protesters stormed the Press Club and initially raised slogans and began hurling flower pots, books and later with whatever they had in their hands. She sustained minor injuries during the attack. Media persons came to her rescue and ensure she is not hurt. Havign come to know the incident, the police rushed to the spot and took the attackers into custody. Taslima left for Kolkata in the evening. The Police escorted to her car which was followed by a police vehicle till she reached the Airport.
Taslima was at the Press Club to participate in a programme organized by the Centre for Inquiry in connection with release of a book 'Cheeluku Chellu', the Telugu version of her banned book 'Shodh' in Bangladesh. With the unexpected attack on her by MIM MLAs Afsar Khan, Ahmed Pasha Quadri and Moazam Khan along their followers, the media persons and those in the dais formed cordon around her and ensured that she was protected by the protesters. The Chairman of Centre for Inquiry, N Innaiah received serious cut below the eye while trying to save her. During the unfortunate incident, some media persons got injured.
This incident received sharp criticism from all sections of the society and political parties. The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy termed the incident as a barbaric act and said that the attackers will be dealt sternly. CPI State Secretary BV Raghavulu and CPI(M) State Unit Secretary K Narayana said that the MIM has crossed its limits and behaved in an irresponsible manner. The TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu and BJP Senior Leader Bandaru Dattatreya condemned the incident and commented that if MIM wants to register protest it can do so in a peaceful manner but should not opt for violence methods. The AP Union of Working Journalists and other journalists unions described it as an attack not only on Taslima but also on media fraternity.
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