External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday said Taslima Nasreen is free to stay in the country “as long as she wants” and asserted that the controversial Bangladeshi writer was not under house arrest. He also said the government’s policy for foreign nationals seeking shelter in the country was also applicable to Nasreen.
The minister’s remarks came two days after Nasreen said that she was told by the government officials that she would not be allowed to return to Kolkata for now and that she was virtually under house arrest in Delhi, where the writer is staying in an undisclosed location.
Asked by reporters what advice had been given to her by the Centre, he said: “We have communicated to her that she can stay in the country as long as she wants, which is our rule here.” The Indian visa of Nasreen expires on February 17 next.
To a query about possible restrictions on her return to Kolkata, he said: “Whether she will come to Kolkata or go to Chennai... she is not under house arrest.” The government policy was to make all arrangements for the safe and secure stay of a guest, he said.
Stating that he had already made a statement in Parliament on the matter, he said: “The government’s policy is that we never send a guest. If any guest wants to stay, we make all the arrangements for it. I had said at the same time that our guest should not do anything that may hurt the sentiments of any segment of the population in the country.” He said those looking after Nasreen had been asked to redress any problem that she might face during her stay.