Ban terrorists not artistes: Taslima Nasreen on boycott of Pakistanis

Image courtesy- PTI

New Delhi: Noted Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen today slammed those who are boycotting Pakistani artistes, saying terrorists should be banned not artistes, and cautioned that such actions were similar to Hitler's idea of 'blood purity'.

In a series of tweets, Taslima, who is living in exile in India after facing death threats from fundamentalists in Bangladesh, said, "Ban terrorists. Don't ban artists. Artistes belong to the places where art is honoured.

"Today you ban Pakistani artists. Tomorrow you ban Bangladeshi writers. You will live with yourselves. 'Pure Indian' blood. Hitler's idea of 'blood purity'."

Hitler, who led Germany during World War II, propagated the idea of a "pure Aryan race" supremacy under Nazism, leading to the killings of millions of Jews and ban on mixed marriages.

Taslema's came a day after filmmaker Karan Johar said he will not "engage with talent" from Pakistan in future and made a fervent appeal against stalling his upcoming film 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' that features Fawad Khan.

In the aftermath of the Uri terror attack last month in which 19 Indian jawans were killed, the MNS issued an ultimatum to Pakistani artistes to leave India. They also threatened to stop the screening of films featuring artistes from Pakistan.

Subsequently, Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association passed a motion to ban the artistes from the neighbouring country.

The Cinema Owners Exhibitors Association of India recently decided not to screen the films with Pakistani actors in four states -- Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa.

Yesterday, Taslima had also tweeted on the issue of triple talaq saying, "No religious law is good. Better to have strict separation between religion & state. Uniform civil code based on equality & justice urgently necessary."