“Rape is not a sexual act, but a show of toxic masculinity, which should be wiped out,” says writer Taslima Nazrin.
On a query on the Union government’s move to bring a law to award death penalty to rapists of children below 12 years, she said here on Saturday that nobody was born a rapist or murderer and that society made them so. “The patriarchal, misogynistic mindset that considers women inferior to men should be changed. Capital punishment is not a solution to any problem. Every one has a right to life. People should get an opportunity to be better persons,” she added.
The writer was in Kozhikode to launch her book Split: A Life . Writer T.P. Rajeevan released the book and led an interactive session with her. Ms. Nazrin batted for freedom of expression and said laws that stood against freedom of expression, in any country, should be repealed. She demanded that governments pay heed to the sentiments of non-believers in the same way they sympathised with the sentiments of believers of all religions. Claiming that humanity was her religion, she said that all religions should stand for equality. “True believers would never attack innocents as religions stand for peace,” she said.
On Indian experience
“I am a citizen of the world. My country is formed of people who stood by me, sympathised with me, loved and respected me,” she said in response to a query on whether she was happy in India. She added that she would be happy if she got residence permit in India as there was so much inspiration here. Ms. Nazrin said she did not believe in the “nexus between jihadis and communists” as their ideologies were polar opposites. “A true jihadi or a true communist cannot support each other,” she said.
Ms. Nazrin was in Kozhikode as part of a three day Kerala tour to promote her book, published by Penguin Books.
