KOLKATA: Exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin accused the West Bengal government of stifling the voice of artistes and writers, claiming that the play 'Lajja' (Shame), adapted from her novel, was forced to be cancelled at two theatre festivals in the state.
Nasrin alleged that the police intervened at the Gobardanga Natyoutsav in North 24 Parganas and the Pandua Natyoutsav in Hooghly, pressuring organisers to remove the play from the schedule, citing concerns that it could provoke communal riots.
"While the schedule of the play had been announced two months back, all of a sudden the police prevailed upon the organisers to omit 'Lajja' from the list. Let me remind you, a theatre group had staged the same play three times in Delhi before a packed auditorium," she wrote in a post on Monday.
Nasrin criticised the West Bengal administration for using the excuse that the play could lead to violence.
She lamented, "I was forced to leave West Bengal with the apprehension that my presence would provoke fundamentalists to engineer riots. I can't fathom why no action is taken against the rioters and the voices of free expression by writers are being muzzled."
The BJP backed Nasrin's claims, with Union minister Sukanta Majumdar accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of hypocrisy.
"The little difference between fundamentalists in Bangladesh and West Bengal Chief Minister has ceased to exist, as she is not allowing a popular stage play of protest against fundamentalism, apprehending it will lead to riots," Majumdar said.
He also alleged that Banerjee has ignored attacks on Hindu places of worship and desecration of idols in West Bengal while silencing intellectuals who oppose her policies.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya posted, "If Mamata Banerjee is unable to manage law and order in Bengal and is so intimidated by Muslim veto that even art, culture, and freedom of expression are being stifled, then she should consider stepping down."
Organisers of the Gobardanga theatre festival confirmed that 'Lajja' was removed from the lineup, but they declined to provide any further reasons.
State police officials have neither confirmed nor denied the involvement of the administration in halting the play.