It is termed pornography when a woman writes about her body: Taslima Nasreen

Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen is the latest to join the ongoing intolerance debate.

New Delhi: Amid a raging debate on India being intolerant, controversial writer Taslima Nasreen on Saturday stated that most of religions are anti-women and fundamentalists are only making it worst.

The Bangladeshi author was speaking at the Kerala Literature Festival where she questioned why the secularists in India criticise only targeted Hindu fundamentalists but at the same time ignore Muslim fundamentalists.

While calling India a tolerant land, Taslima agreed that there were few intolerant people in the country who are responsible who create hurdles.

"I think most people are quite tolerant of each others’ faith. The laws in India do not support intolerance. But there are so many intolerant people in this country'', she said. Taslima also stated that hat the presence of such ‘pseudo secularism’ is an aberration for a true democracy.

She also added that at present, India is waging a battle between secularism and fundamentalism, between innovation and tradition, between humanity and barbarianism, and between people who value freedom and who don't.

Taslima condemned the 2015 Dadri mob lynching incident, in which a man was beaten to death over allegations of consuming cow meat, Taslima said, "Killing a person on the suspicion that he ate beef is cruel because it is an affront to his right to eat food of his choice. Fundamentalists everywhere are against plurality".

Talking about her novel 'Lajja', Taslima said that it s faithful representation of Bangladesh after the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992. "Many Hindu shrines and shops were attacked and Hindu women raped," Taslima quoted and added that even now, the plight of Bangladeshi minorities has not improved.

"In Bangladesh, you are not permitted to write about your body or your desires. If a woman writes about her body, it is termed pornography but when a male writes on the same topic, it is called literature," she asserted.