Taslima Nasreen had to return to Mumbai from the Aurangabad airport after protests led by AIMIM
Controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen had to return to Mumbai from the airport in Aurangabad after protests led by AIMIM legislator Imtiyaz Jaleel broke out outside the airport and the hotel she was supposed to stay in during her visit to the city.
"Taslima Go Back", the protesters shouted after Ms Nasreen landed at Aurangabad's Chikalthana Airport on Saturday evening. Fearing a law and order problem, the police first asked her to stay inside the airport, before finally asking her to return to Mumbai - which she agreed to.
Rahul Shrirame, the Deputy Commissioner of Police for the zone in which the airport comes under said, "(Taslima) Nasreen was sent back to Mumbai by the next flight to avoid any law and order problem." The author, he said, had agreed to return to Mumbai after being informed about the agitation outside.
Ms Nasreen was visiting Aurangabad in central Maharashtra for three days starting Saturday, to see the world heritage sites of Ajanta and Ellora. She also planned to see other famous tourist sites in the city.
The police said that the protesters led by Imtiyaz Jaleel, a legislator from Asaduddin Owaisi's party AIMIM or All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen planned the protests outside the airport and hotel after "they had come to know" that the award-winning writer was planning a visit to these tourist sites in and around the city.
"Her (Taslima Nasreen's) writings have hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims across the world. We will not allow her to step on the soil of our city," said Mr Jaleel, who is the MLA from Aurangabad central constituency.
In June, the Union Home Ministry had extended Ms Nasreen's visa for a year, which came into effect from July 23.
Ms Nasreen, now a citizen of Sweden, has been getting the Indian visa on a continuous basis since 2004. The award-winning author has been living in exile since she left Bangladesh in 1994 in the wake of threats to her by fundamentalist groups.
(With inputs from PTI)