Secular Credentials of Mr. Dasmunsi
Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi has emerged as the new face of pseudo-secularism. Just sample what he had to say about the Taslima Nasreen issue that has been going on for more than a month now. According to the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen must apologise with “folded hands” for hurting the sentiments of Muslims in the country. Munshi says and I quote – We are a pluralistic nation and we respect all religions. I love literature and I have nothing against her writings. That does not mean she can use her pen to insult and hurt the religious beliefs of any community. The comments made by her in the book in question (Dwikhandito) were uncalled for. She should bow down before the people whose sentiments she has hurt and apologise with folded hands, and expunge those pages from her book. We did not allow Salman Rushdie’s book (‘The Satanic Verses’) when it caused a flutter and raised controversy. She will not be an exception. Bangladesh is a neighbouring country and neither the society nor the government can allow such controversial writing.
Now who is Dasmunsi to say this to Taslima? If our ’secular’ government has any problems with what she has done, it can throw her out of the country. But it certainly cannot ask her to apologise. And if Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi is so concerned about our beloved pluralistic nation, why didn’t he give the same advice to Tamil Nadu CM Karunanidhi when he passed those comments about Lord Ram’s existence among other things? Is it okay to allow such comments about Hinduism, Mr. Dasmunsi?
