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Bangladeshi writer and activist Taslima Nasreen on Friday compared the ongoing student protest in Delhi's Jantar Mantar with Bangladesh's July 2024 student-led uprising, saying that the outcome of the movement in her country had been "disastrous" and expressing concern over similarities she perceived between the two.
In a post on X, Nasreen clarified that she was not equating the two movements but said the visuals of the protest reminded her of the events in Bangladesh and the consequences that followed. "I said that the student movement in India reminded me of Bangladesh's July 2024 movement--and that the outcome of that movement was disastrous," Nasreen wrote, responding to criticism over her comments. She said that some people questioned her right to comment on India's internal matters because she is a foreign citizen. Rejecting the criticism, Nasreen argued that writers, journalists, researchers and analysts regularly comment on political developments in countries other than their own. "Commenting is not the same as interfering. I am not organising any movement, funding it or inciting anyone," she said, adding that she had only expressed concern based on her observations and past experiences. Nasreen further stated that drawing a comparison between two situations does not mean declaring them identical. "I did not say that the two movements were identical. I said that the sight of one reminded me of the other," she said. The writer also criticised what she described as selective reactions to foreign opinions, saying that people often welcome international commentary when it supports their views but question the credentials of foreign observers when their opinions differ. Responding to remarks targeting her refugee status and exile, Nasreen said that being a refugee was not a matter of shame and that her experiences had not taken away her right to express opinions. "If my argument is wrong, respond with facts and reason. Trying to insult someone by invoking their identity, citizenship or refugee status only proves the absence of a valid counterargument," she said. Nasreen, who has lived in exile for years after facing threats over her writings in Bangladesh, concluded that opinions should be judged based on facts, reasoning and experience rather than a person's passport. This comes amid continuing protests over the NEET-UG 2026 examination and demands for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. (ANI)
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