IF Vasundhara Raje led BJP government in Rajasthan had not acted timely and wisely, Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, who was literally thrown out from Kolkata by CPM led Left Front Government in West Bengal, would have faced enormous hardships.
The so-called progressive Left Front government blatantly violated the Centres policy towards people like Nasreen, who are under threat from Muslim fundamentalists or hounded by their respective governments.
After being extricated by the Bangladesh Government, under pressure from fundamentalists for writing a book Lazza (shame) depicting the horror against Hindu women living in Bangladesh, the BJP led NDA Government not only allowed her to move in India, but also provided her Y category security.
Since this Bangladeshi writer found herself at home in Kolkatra, owing to language and culture, which is almost similar to her country, she preferred to live in the city, a major center of literary activities. The Left Front government of West Bengal agreed to allow her to stay in Kolkata for its own reasons. The party leaders thought that being a progressive writer she would serve the left cause. During her stay in Kolkata she was more friendly with the writers close to the left ideology.
When these progressive writers came openly against the state government on Nandigram issue, the left party leaders decided to act. They wanted to sent a message that left party government don'tcare for them. So they found an easy ploy in Taslima to sent this message. The Government decided to throw her out from Kolkata without consulting or informing the Centre, which is responsible for her security.
In the early morning on November 22, the Home Department of Rajasthan Government received an urgent message from its West Bengal counterpart, informing that controversial writer is shortly arriving in Jaipur, where she would attend a literary function.
Normally, if some VIPs, who are provided Z or Y security, visiting a particular place, state government is informed well in advance about the visit, so that security arrangements could be made. But in this case, the West Bengal government did not bother to inform the Rajasthan government in time.
The senior police officials along with some security personnel reached the airport, where Taslima was to land minutes after. When they asked about her engagements in the city, she told them that she had not come Jaipur on her own and had no engagement in the state capital. She also informed them that some police officials of West Bengal government came to her residence in the morning and took her to the airport. Since her ticket was booked in the first available flight which landed in Jaipur.
The senior officials immediately informed the Chief Minister Smt Raje. It was decided to treat her as state guest and arrange maximum security during her stay in the state capital. She was taken to a heritage hotel out side the capital. At the same time, state government sought the advice from the Centre. The state government officials were told to send her Delhi. Since Union Home Ministry was enable to find a suitable place for her, it requested the state government to arrange her stay in Rajasthan House in Delhi. Within no time Taslima, under heavy security, was shifted to Delhi. The portion of Rajasthan House, where she was lodged, was declared as state guest house and security arrangements were made. During her stay in Jaipur and later in Rajasthan House in New Delhi, Taslima had all the praise for Rajasthan government, particularly for Vasundhara Raje, as she felt if Raje had not acted fast, she would have been in difficult situation. The Left Front government of West Bengal agreed to allow Taslima Nasreen to stay in Kolkata for its own reasons. The party leaders thought that being a progressive writer, she would serve the left cause. During her stay in Kolkata she was more friendly with the writers close to the left ideology.
