Yechury

New Delhi, Nov. 26: The CPM today asserted again that Taslima Nasreen left Calcutta on her own and said it was the Centre that should decide where the Bangladeshi writer should stay.

Faced with a barrage of questions, politburo member Sitaram Yechury kept repeating that the decision was the Union government’s “sole prerogative” and “wherever she goes”, it was “incumbent” upon the state government to provide security.

“Whether she should remain in India or not and whether her visa should be extended or not is a decision to be taken by the central government. It is beyond the scope of any state government. Let the central government decide on this,” Yechury, whose party has come under fire for the way the author was forced to leave CPM-ruled Bengal, said.

On Friday, CPM state secretariat member Shyamal Chakraborty said that as far as he knew, Taslima left “on her own” and the Bengal government’s role was limited to “helping her in her departure”.

Yechury said as much today. “Nobody forced her,” he said, asked about reports that the Left Front government had asked her to move out of the state. “She can move anywhere she wants if the central government permits.”

The CPM leader denied reports that the Bengal government was not keen on Taslima’s return. “Do not try to bring the Bengal government or the CPM into the issue. She has stayed in Calcutta for the last three years and protection was given by the state government,” he said.

Yechury declined to comment on the Rajasthan government’s statement that Calcutta police had refused to allow Taslima back. He said the Bengal government would answer this question.

Asked if the CPM-led Left Front was willing to host Taslima again and provide her security, he said: “The Bengal government is not involved in this. The central government has to take the call.”

Yechury parried a question on his party’s view on granting asylum to the writer. “There are established rules and laws. The central government decides on this on the basis of information it has,” he said.

The CPM leader attacked the BJP for politicising the issue and charged it with adopting a different standard when it came to the return of M.F. Husain, whose paintings of Hindu goddesses in the nude angered certain sections and led to a court warrant.

“Husain is not allowed to return to the country because of cases filed against him by the RSS, VHP and other affiliates. He is said to have hurt the sentiments of a certain community,” Yechury said. “Why this double standard?”

The Taslima affair also echoed in the Rajya Sabha with jurist Ram Jethmalani demanding that she be given complete security and the right to live in India.