BJP seeks permanent visa for Taslima

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday raked up the Taslima Nasreen issue again with its senior leader L K Advani saying the government was planning to expel her from the country on the expiry of her visa next month. He demanded that she be allowed to lead a normal life in West Bengal.

"I have heard from reliable sources that the United Progressive Alliance government has been putting pressure on Taslima Nasreen to leave India and go away to any other part of the world of her choice," said Advani.

He alleged that pressure is being mounted on her so that the Bangladeshi writer leaves on her own while she has been pleading for permanent resident status in India and extension of her visa.

"On February 15, when her visa ends, she would be forced to go out of the country and it could be expulsion," he said at a book launch function.

"The UPA government's attitude is that we don't want you here. Go wherever you want....What kind of secularism is this," he asked, launching a scathing attack on the Manmohan Singh government on the issue.

"I demand that Taslima be allowed to lead a normal life in West Bengal with freedom of movement. It is the responsibility of the Central and state governments to ensure her personal security," he added.