A ‘safe house’ or abroad

After being on the run for the past three days, the Centre has agreed to take the Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen's custody, report Srinand Jha & KS Tomar.

After being on the run for the past three days, a fatigued Taslima Nasreen — the controversial exiled Bangladeshi author in the eye of a storm over her stay in India — finally had a fish-and-rice lunch and followed it up with a quick nap at Rajasthan House on Saturday.

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The Centre has agreed to take Taslima’s custody, said Rajasthan government spokesman Rohit Kumar Singh. “Senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs have told the state government that the Centre which would be responsible for Taslima’s security as well as lodging at a suitable place,” he added. She will be moved out of Rajasthan House on Sunday.

Intelligence agencies are considering various options and indications are that Taslima will probably be shifted to a safe house somewhere in India. The possibility of moving her out to some friendly country is also not being ruled out.

Taslima also spoke to Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje for 15 minutes. She reportedly told Raje that only a woman can understand the woes and problems of another woman — referring specifically to the way she was packed off from Kolkata against her wishes.

She was initially told that she would have to move out of Kolkata for only a few days and would be able to return when the situation eased a little.

Officials said the author kept on recounting her harrowing 22-hour journey from Jaipur to Delhi, which included a halt at a guest house near the border. She told them: “No sooner did I wake up on Friday morning, I was told to pack again to depart for an unknown destination.”

Taslima, together with her cousin Faisal Kabir, has remained cooped up in Room 105 of Rajasthan House since Friday night, refusing to talk to the waiting media.

Meanwhile, the Bengal government has said Taslima could return to the state if she wished and promised her security. “She is free to return here,” Home Secretary PR Roy told PTI.