Taslima Nasrin’s return to Kolkata: the politics behind the ‘homecoming’
Exiled writer Taslima Nasrin returned to Kolkata for a visit facilitated by the new BJP-led government in West Bengal. The event is framed as a political shift, contrasting the current administration's stance with previous governments that forced her into exile.
Why it matters
Illustrates the intersection of literature, political identity, and religious freedom in West Bengal's evolving political landscape.
It does not happen often that posters are put up in the city to welcome a writer who has been away for almost two decades.
But Kolkata, unlike other cities, can go to great lengths to honour its artists and writers. The city, depending on the politics of the day, can also drive writers out, as it did to Taslima Nasrin in the autumn of 2007.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in