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Saturday, 24 November 2007, 06:30 GMT

Bangladeshi writer moved to Delhi

Controversy never far behind

Taslima Nasreen Controversial Bangladeshi feminist writer Taslima Nasreen has been moved out of the western Indian city of Jaipur to a location in Delhi.

Ms Nasreen had flown from Calcutta to Jaipur on Thursday after violent protests by Muslims.

But she has now been transported to the Indian capital, Delhi, for her safety.

On Wednesday, police in Calcutta used tear gas and baton charges to control crowds calling for her Indian visa to be cancelled.

Rioters blocked roads and set cars alight. At least 43 people were hurt. More than 100 arrests were made.

Critics say she called for the Koran to be changed to give women greater rights, something she denies.

Death threats

Ms Nasreen fled Bangladesh in the early 1990s after death threats and has spent the last three years in Calcutta after a long stay in Europe.

Indian intelligence officials say Ms Nasreen was flown out of Calcutta in a special plane to Delhi from where she was taken to Jaipur in the western state of Rajasthan.

She spent Thursday night at a hotel in Jaipur under heavy security, the police said.

Early on Friday, Ms Nasreen moved out of the hotel and sped away with a police convoy towards the main road linking Jaipur with Delhi, the BBC's Narayan Bareth in Jaipur says.

Taslima Nasreen's Indian visa is valid until March 2008.

Taslima Nasreen

Wednesday's trouble in Calcutta began after the predominantly Muslim All-India Minority Forum called for blockades on major roads in the city.

The group said Ms Nasreen had "seriously hurt Muslim sentiments". Many Muslims say her writing ridicules Islam.

The army was called out and a night curfew imposed.

The All-India Minority Forum says Taslima Nasreen's Indian visa should be revoked and she should be forced to leave the country.

In August this year, she was attacked in the southern city of Hyderabad during a lecture by Muslims upset by her remarks on the Prophet Muhammed and the Koran.




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Related to this story:
Calcutta calm after day of riots (22 Nov 07 |  South Asia )
Army deployed after Calcutta riot (21 Nov 07 |  South Asia )
Farmers and Marxists at loggerheads (16 Mar 07 |  South Asia )
Violence marks Bengal shutdown (08 Jan 07 |  South Asia )
Taslima Nasreen gets Indian visa (01 Sep 05 |  South Asia )
'Bengal Maoists' target car plant (04 Dec 06 |  South Asia )

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Taslima Nasreen
Communist Party Of India (Marxist)
Trinamul Congress
Government of West Bengal
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