JLF over, but not the controversy around Taslima Nasrin

It has been two days since the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) came to a close but the surprise session of Taslima Nasrin has continues to make waves on the social media. Nasrin took to twitter and lashed out at the organisers for "banning her" from future editions of the festival while the organisers said such reports are "not true."

Around 25-30 persons staged a protest outside Diggi Palace, saying that the writings of Taslima Nasrin denigrate Islam and that the organisers should not have invited her.

Late on Monday evening, Festival producer Sanjoy Roy said in a statement: "They expressed their anger... I heard them out. Explained we supported minorities in every way. Underscored that we are a platform for all points of view. Agreed that we should consider their request not to reinvite them."

Following this statement there was speculations on the social media that the popular literary event will not be inviting Nasrin again.

The controversial writer lashed out at the organisers in a series of tweets.

"Misogynist Mullahs ban me,corrupt governments ban me, now most progressive secular liberal #JLF ban me? Unbelievable!

"If u once bow down to fanatics,u hv to continue doing it.U gave them strength by bowing down in 2012.They forced u to bow down again in 2017.

"Wonderful! A bunch of misogynist bigots & imbecile blockhead will decide who should participate at Jaipur Literature Festival & who should not," Nasrin wrote in a series of tweets that have gone viral on the internet.

The organisers stepped in to pacify the situation. A tweet from the official twitter handle of the event said: "Reports of us 'banning' @taslimanasreen from future editions of the festival are not true. No statement to this effect has been made."

In another tweet, quoting what the organisers said, Nasrin wrote: "So good to hear #jlf believes in freedom of expression."

--IANS

ss/vm