Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen, who has been living in exile since 1994 after facing the ire of fundamentalists, said India urgently needed a uniform civil law.

During a surprise session at the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) 2017 in Diggi Palace, the controversial writer also said criticism of Islam is the only way to establish secularism in Islamic countries.

Outside the JLF venue, Muslim organisations protested against the participation of Taslima Nasreen at the festival. "Taslima was thrown out of Bangladesh. She was allowed to stay in this country, but she has got too much freedom," said Qari Moinuddin, convenor, Rajasthan Muslim Forum.

"The JLF organizers have assured us that they will never call these two people (Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasreen) to the Jaipur Literature Festival again without consulting us," said the convenor of the Rajasthan Muslim Forum.

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Here is what Taslima Nasreen said at the Jaipur Literature Festival: "When I or anyone else criticise Hinduism, Buddhism or other religions nothing happens. But the moment you criticise Islam, people come running after your life," Taslima said at a session titled Exile. "They issue fatwas against you and they want to kill you. But why do they need to do so? If they disagree with me, they can write against me, share their views like we do. They can have conversations rather than fatwas," the 55-year-old writer said. Nasreen said Muslim women are "oppressed" and that uniform civil law is the need of the hour to protect their rights. "If you have a set of laws for Hindus, if Hindu women can divorce their husbands and have a say in their property, and we have seen how progressive that has been, then why are Islamic fundamentalists against a uniform civil law? Is not having a uniform civil law democratic," the author of 'Lajja' said. "A uniform civil law is urgently needed in India for the protection of women. The fundamentalists should introspect and ask themselves why are they not ready to accept criticism," the Bangladeshi author said. "What do you mean by secularism, does it require you to encourage Muslim fundamentalists? For Muslim votes, you throw a writer out of the country and continue to patronise misogynists," she maintained. "Why shouldn't Muslim women have the same rights? Is it democracy? Encouraging fundamentalists and misogynists from any side is neither democratic nor secular. I am against all kinds of fundamentalists. Without serious criticism of Islam, you will not be able to make Islamic countries secular. The women will continue to suffer and be oppressed," she said.

(with inputs from IANS)

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