Taslima withdraws controversial lines from book

Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen on Friday said she was withdrawing some controversial lines from her autobiographical novel Dwikhandita as those evoked strong protests from "a section of people in India."

"I am withdrawing controversial lines in Dwikhandita, written in 2002 with the memory of Bangladesh in the 1980s when the military threw out secularism in the country. I wrote the book in support of the people who defended secular values. I had no intention to hurt anybody's sentiment," she told PTI in Kolkata over phone from an undisclosed location.

"Now since some people in India claim that it hurt their sentiments, I am withdrawing some lines in the book," Taslima said.

The Bangladeshi writer hoped that from now on, there would be no controversy and "I'll be able to live peacefully in this country."

Taslima said she had already asked the publisher of the book People's Book Society not not to circulate copies of the book, which were in their possession.

"I asked my publisher to bring out the next edition of the book deleting those controversial lines," she said.

A spokesman of the publisher said that Taslima had requested them not to circulate copies of the book.

"We will withdraw 30 to 40 copies, already in circulation, from the market and in the next edition we will delete three controversial pages of the book," she said.

In Delhi, Communist Party of India leader Gurudas Dasgupta, who has been in touch with Nasreen, said the author informed him about the decision to withdraw the controversial lines on Prophet Mohammed in her book.

"This is a very correct step she has taken. She believes this step will help bring in normalcy. I also think this would assuage the feelings of those who have been hurt," Dasgupta said.

He expressed hope that the move would also "facilitate her return to West Bengal."

The novel Dwikhandita was banned in India earlier, but the ban was later stayed by the Calcutta high court.