The latest issue of Outlook published an article by Taslima Nasrin on burqa and now a section is up in arms against the editor of weekly magazine and demanding registration of police case against Vinod Mehta.
Scores of memoranda and delegations have reached from Chief Minister and Home Minister up to President. And now State home department is reportedly contemplating to book the Magazine editor for defamation. I strongly support Vinod Mehta’s right as an editor to decide what could be published in his magazie–whether to stir a debate or whatever reason–or what not to publish. If you don’t agree with Taslima, write a million letters of protest, publish articles based on facts to prove that she is wrong and has done it for cheap popularity or whatever. Rather than discussions and debates, the protests on roads and the ridiculous demand for Mehta’s arrest is absolutely nonsensical.
Where are all these people when Mehta defends Indian Muslims on the pages of his magazine and is castigated, termed as pro-Muslim. Journalists who raised the issue of atrocities on Muslims (and all other sections) are not feted or lauded but when it comes to ‘freedom of expression’, an article, not even read by many Muslims whom I spoke to, has brought protestors in Mumbai on streets.
Adnan
I agree with you, Adnan. Outlook has published very good articles hijab, and i also remember reading the opinion of an American journalist who was caught by the talibans in Afganistan. She had written about how she came to love the veil and accepted Islam after she was freed.
But then I was quite surprised after reading the article by Taslima, it definitely kindles some amount of tension among the reader, especially if it is a practising Muslim.
However, protesting on the roads for this and asking for the arrest of Vinod Mehta is simply too much. We project to the outside world that we go on to the roads to protest each and everything, and this issue makes absolutely no sense. Tolerating Taslima is also not possible, since even a non muslim reading the article will feel that it is nothing but a cheap media attention that she is seeking.
>> She had written about how she came to love the veil and accepted Islam after she was freed.
There are women who fell in love with kidnappers in many settings. Heard of Stockholm Syndrome?
I agree with the post, though. Let Taslima say what she wants. There is no rule that everyone should like Islam, or any other religion, for that matter.
And Faiza, tolerating Taslima is not possible? Why not? if someone critises your religion, its intolerable? The Ku Klux Klan, the RSS, they would agree with you!
See, it is so easy. Just stay home or write a blog … and ta da! You have tolerated her!
@Faiza
[quote post="165"]Tolerating Taslima is also not possible, since even a non muslim reading the article will feel that it is nothing but a cheap media attention that she is seeking.[/quote]
So what, Faiza? Lot of people seek cheap publicity. Who are we to say which of them are tolerable and which are intolerable? May be they find YOU & ME as intolerable!
Why do you think that your option of ignoring them is closed?