Never wrote article for Karnataka paper: Taslima

Exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen said on Tuesday that the appearance of an article in a Karnataka newspaper purportedly written by her, which triggered violent protests in Shimoga and Hassan towns, is a "deliberate attempt to malign" her and "misuse" her writings to create disturbance in the society.

Nasreen said in a statement made available said she never penned any article for a newspaper in Karnataka.

"The incident that occurred in Karnataka on Monday shocked me. I learned that it was provoked by an article written by me that appeared in a Karnataka newspaper. But I have never written any article for any Karnataka newspaper in my life," she said.

Nasreen said, "The appearance of the article is atrocious. In any of my writings I have never mentioned that Prophet Muhammad was against burkha. Therefore this is a distorted story."

The author said, "I suspect that it is a deliberate attempt to malign me and to misuse my writings to create disturbance in the society. I wish peace will prevail."

The violence in Shimoga, the hometown of Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, left two persons dead, one of them in police firing on Sunday.

Nasreen, staying in an undisclosed destination due to security reasons since her return to India last month, had her visa extended recently by six months till August this year.

Replying to a question, she said she would not like to say anything other than the statement issued by her.

Image: Taslima Nasreen