Literary stars call on Modi to restore critic Aatish Taseer's citizenship

Published November 14, 2019
Taseer said he learned about the decision on Twitter. — Photo courtesy of The Hindu
Taseer said he learned about the decision on Twitter. — Photo courtesy of The Hindu

Top prize winners Margaret Atwood, Orhan Pamuk and J.M. Coetzee led more than 250 literary and journalist luminaries who called on India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revoke an order stripping writer Aatish Taseer of his “overseas citizenship”.

Leading Indian writer Amitav Ghosh also signed the letter which said Taseer “appears to have been targeted for an extremely personal form of retaliation” for his criticism of the Indian government.

Taseer, 38, born in Britain but raised in India, lost his Overseas Citizenship of India last week. The home ministry announced on Twitter that the journalist had “concealed” the fact that his father was Pakistani.

Critics have, however, called the move a response to a Taseer cover story on Modi in Time magazine during the Indian election titled “India's Divider in Chief”.

“Denying access to the country to writers of both foreign and Indian origin casts a chill on public discourse,” said the letter, published by the free speech platform PEN America.

“It flies in the face of India's traditions of free and open debate and respect for a diversity of views, and weakens its credentials as a strong and thriving democracy.”

Taseer was raised in India by his mother, Tavleen Singh, an Indian columnist and journalist. His father, Salman Taseer, was governor of Pakistan's Punjab province until he was assassinated in 2011.

The letter said the decision by the Indian government was discrimination against single mothers.

Taseer said he learned about the decision on Twitter. He later wrote: “It was not hard to feel, given the timing, that I was being punished for what I had written.” Time has also condemned the move.

“Journalists like Aatish Taseer should be allowed to do their work without harassment or retribution,” a spokesperson told AFP.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said Taseer's fate showed that Modi's conservative ruling party is “intolerant of criticism and freedom of the press”.

Opinion

Editorial

Afghan turbulence
Updated 19 Mar, 2024

Afghan turbulence

RELATIONS between the newly formed government and Afghanistan’s de facto Taliban rulers have begun on an...
In disarray
19 Mar, 2024

In disarray

IT is clear that there is some bad blood within the PTI’s ranks. Ever since the PTI lost a key battle over ...
Festering wound
19 Mar, 2024

Festering wound

PROTESTS unfolded once more in Gwadar, this time against the alleged enforced disappearances of two young men, who...
Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...