Share this story!            

Indian Muslim clerics issue ‘death warrant’ against Taslima

KOLKATA: Muslim clerics in eastern India issued a ‘death warrant’ against Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen on Friday, threatening her life if she did not leave the country where she lives in exile. The threat came after a meeting of dozens of clerics from prominent mosques in Kolkata - where the writer lives - who said she had invited their wrath through her ‘repeated criticism’ of Islam in her books and speeches. While one prominent cleric said Nasreen had a month to leave, another said she had 15 days. Anyone who killed her would get cash reward of Indian Rs 100,000, they said. “Anyone who executes the warrant will also be given additional rewards,” said Nurur Rehman Barkati, a cleric of one of the biggest mosques in Kolkata. The move by the clerics came a week after Muslims in Hyderabad attacked Nasreen during the launch of a translation of one of her novels. Police said they had stepped up security around Nasreen’s house in Kolkata. Nasreen said their illegal order destroyed India’s secular image. “I have never hurt religious sentiments and strongly believe in freedom of speech,” she said. reuters

Home | National

Share this story!