KOLKATA: Author Taslima Nasrin's "persona non grata" status continued in the city after a Bengali channel was "forced to indefinitely postpone" 'Dusahobas' - a TV serial based on a story written by her - on Thursday. 'Dusahobas' was scheduled to be telecast on the small screen from Thursday night.

"Although we're ready to commence the telecast of 'Dusahobas' at 10pm, we're forced to defer the telecast indefinitely due to reasons beyond the purview and control of our channel," a spokesperson of the channel said. In a statement, the channel said the serial was based on women empowerment and had nothing to do with any religion or community whatsoever.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) Rajeev Mishra lifted the veil of uncertainty by citing the reason behind the order to stall the telecast. "Four organizations had written to us and two others had submitted deputations apprehending law and order problems if the serial was aired. Raj Bhawan also received some of deputations. We had accordingly informed the channel, the state (home) department and also the information and cultural affairs department." Mishra said.

However, Mishra confirmed that the police had not asked or directed anyone to stop airing of any serial. "We had merely conveyed the apprehensions of a section of the minority community," he clarified.

Exiled from Bangladesh in 1994 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with her novel 'Lajja', the doctor-turned-author had taken refuge in the city in 2004 after a long stay in Europe. But after violent protests in the city in November 2007, the government took her away to an undisclosed location in New Delhi where she has been residing since then.

Abdul Aziz of minority group Milli Ittehad Parishad said they had written to the producers asking them to withdraw Taslima's name and reference from the serial and withdraw scenes that might create a controversy. "We have been told that there are some scenes in the serial that might hurt our sentiments. Through this serial she is trying to come back to Kolkata. Therefore we have opposed this," Aziz said.

Influential Muslim religious leaders echoed Aziz's concern. Maulana Quari Fazlur Rehman said, "Good that this was done else it would have spread disquiet among the Muslim community. This would have vitiated the atmosphere." Nakhoda Masjid Imam Md Shabir added, "She is one of those persons who revels in denigrating a particular religion and its Prophet. Why does the Centre give her so much liberty? She inflames passions by her words and deeds, poses a grave law and order risk and yet we give her refuge."

Maulana Nur-ur Rahman Barkati, Shahi Imam of the Tipu Sultan Mosque in Kolkata, said, "We will not allow the channel to show the serial at all". Idris Ali, who chairs the Trinamool Congress Minority Cell, alleged that Taslima was trying to break peace and harmony in the state. "We will not let her do that," Ali said.

"It is unbelievable that the state government has banned the serial that is about women's rights. Some Muslim fundamentalists objected and the serial was taken off. The fundamentalists do not have any inkling about the story line and still they want to stop it, only because it is scripted by me. Perhaps their grudge is directed at me for writing 'Lajja', which I wrote two decades ago," Taslima told TOI from Delhi. She lamented that the state government was not allowing her to stay in Kolkata.

According to Bangaldesh-born author, the story line is based on three sisters - one with dark complexion not getting married though she is intelligent. Her father cannot afford to pay dowry. The other sister is a victim of sexual assault and the third is a student. "The story revolves around these three sisters. So the Muslim fundamentalists have nothing to fear about. It has nothing against fundamentalism," she said.

The idea of the serial was conceived long back, when Taslima was staying in Kolkata. "The director had even completed shooting 30 episodes while I was in Kolkata. But it got stalled after I was forced out of the city. It's unfortunate that it got stalled again after the producers spent so much money on shooting 50 episodes and advertising the serial."

