Trinamool suppressing freedom of expression, akin to fascism: Mahasweta Devi

November 22, 2011 02:06 am | Updated November 16, 2021 11:56 pm IST - KOLKATA:

Speaking out against the Trinamool Congress-led State government for “suppressing the freedom of expression of the people of West Bengal,” litterateur and Magsaysay awardee Mahasweta Devi said here on Monday that “this is nothing, but Fascism.”

“The people's government has come and done something that was unimaginable in the last 64 years. The people have lost their right to assemble and express their opinion at the Metro channel,” said Mahasweta Devi, who, on earlier occasions, had come out in support of Mamata Banerjee.

Her remarks were made at a press conference organised by the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR). Activists of the APDR and 21 other organisations alleged that they were being denied permission to organise a two-day protest at the “Metro channel,” a popular venue for holding demonstrations in the city.

The organisations are pressing for their demands of releasing political prisoners and withdrawal of joint-security operations in the Maoist-affected Jangalmahal region

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is known to hold Mahasweta Devi in high regard and the noted author, a strident critic of the Left Front government, has also shared the dais with Ms. Banerjee at several political rallies of the Trinamool Congress.

“None of us knowingly invited Fascism,” said Mahasweta Devi, who has publicly extended support to Ms. Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress in the run up to the Assembly elections this year.

On being asked if she will personally take up the matter with the Chief Minister, Mahasweta Devi said that she is a writer and will be writing about the matter.

“This is about suppressing the voices of the people of West Bengal. If they cannot register their protest at the Metro channel, they will not be able to protest anywhere else,” she added.

Stating that the action of the government “is insupportable and should be protested by everyone,” Mahasweta Devi said that her message to the Chief Minister would be, “If she (Ms. Banerjee) has any sensitivity, she should immediately withdraw her dictat.”

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