My definition of a free society is a society where it is safe to be unpopular.� ~ Adlai Stevenson, 1952

By this definition, India, after sixty years of independence, is definitely not a free nation. Look at what happened to Taslima Nasreen in Hyderabad? She was murderously attacked for her views. And then to add insult to injury, instead of taking action against the perpetrators who very publicly continue to threaten her, the police decides to register an FIR against her! The victim of and not the perpetrators of violence, seem to be at fault! Shameful. Really shameful. It"s almost like publicly saying that if a woman gets raped, it"s her fault for being a woman and therefore an object of male lust! It"s her fault that she aroused the man"s passion.


Honestly, I haven"t read any of Taslima Nasreen's books. I tried to read Lajja, but lost interest after a few pages. She may be controversial. I may not agree with what she has to say. But since I live in a democratic and "free" country, I will speak against her if necessary. Call a press conference and denounce her. Write about her. Distribute pamphets denigrating her. But I would not condone anyone (and that too an MLA) taking the law into his own hands. And in this case, he did not take the law into his hands. He destroyed the law. And those who sit back and keep quiet about this are just as guilty.

And I remind you of what Benjamin Franklin said once again:

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.