Taslima in turmoil

Taslima Nasreen, the exiled Bangladeshi writer, loses her home in Kolkata. On Nov 22, the Bengal police had shunted her out of the state on the plea that it can't provide her security in the wake of spiralling demand by Muslim fundamentalists that the government cancel her visa.

She was sent to Rajasthan, but Basundhara didn't put up with her. She tried to send her back to Kolkata, but then L.K.Advani intervened. She was sent to Delhi instead, and as of now, is living in a Rajastan guest house.

Taslima now faces the heat of Indian politics. The leftists don't like and support her because of erosion of Muslim vote bank. Hindu bigots wants to help her because her work , to some extent at least, serves their anti-Muslim propaganda, and mind you, she is a Muslim by birth.

The irony is, she has no politics, and writes things as she thinks right.

There is however, an interesting twist to the whole affair. Pressed by top Kolkata intellectuals and thinkers, the leftist government in Bengal invites her again to Kolkata. As things stand, she would return, because she loves the city and its people, and because she has no other option left. But would it be the same Kolkata to her? How is she going to deal with the big humiliation and anguish she experiences now?