Taslima invited to France to receive award

France decides to invite controversial Bangladesh author Taslima Nasreen to Paris to receive its prestigious award.

France has decided to invite controversial Bangladesh author Taslima Nasreen to Paris to receive its prestigious award after India stalled its plans to confer the honour on her in New Delhi during the visit of President Nicolas Sarkozy.

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Sarkozy has directed that Nasreen be invited to France so that the 'Prix Simone de Beauvoir' award "may be given to her officially," the French Embassy said in New Delhi on Thursday.

It, however, did not specify dates for presentation of the award named after famous French author Beauvoir.

France expects India to take "all measures" to facilitate her trip to the European country to receive the award which the Bangladeshi author has bagged for her writings in support of women's rights.

"France is grateful to the Indian authorities for all measures that they may kindly take to facilitate Ms Nasreen's journey to France," the Embassy said in a statement.

France announced the award on January nine and had planned to give the honour to her during Sarkozy's two-day visit beginning tomorrow.

India, however, conveyed to France its opposition to the move, citing the fear of repercussions in view of recent violence over Nasreen's writings in Kolkata.

Widespread violence was witnessed in Kolkata on November 21 after some radical Islamists demanded that she be thrown out of the country for allegedly hurting the sentiments of Muslims through her writings.

As a result, she was shifted out of West Bengal and has since been kept in virtual confinement at some undisclosed place in Delhi.