New Delhi: Controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen doesn’t want to go to Paris to accept the prestigious Simone de Beauvoir Award. After the Indian Government informed the French authorities that her safety would be compromised if she received the award on Indian soil, French officials extended an invitation to her to come to Paris and accept the award.
In fact, the invitation was at the behest of the visiting French President, Nicholas Sarkozy, himself. The Prix Simon de Beauvoir is considered one of the best awards for feminist writing the world over.
The French Government had requested India to take all measures to facilitate her trip to Paris to receive the award, which the Bangladeshi author has bagged for her writings in support of women's rights.
"France is grateful to the Indian authorities for all measures that they may kindly take to facilitate Ms Nasreen's journey to France," the Embassy said in a statement.
In a conversation with CNN-IBN on Friday morning, Taslima said: "I am thankful to the French President for inviting me to France. But the real ceremony has already taken place in Paris on January 9. I don’t think there is any need for me to travel all the way to France just now. I would have been delighted to have accepted the honour from French officials in Delhi. Since that is not possible, I’ll be happy if the certificate is couriered to Kolkata. I really long to go back to my home in Kolkata."
The real award giving ceremony, Taslima told CNN-IBN, was over at the opening of a three-day conference on January 9 when personalities from all over the world came together to celebrate the birth centenary of Beauvoir. It was her French publisher, Christiane Besse, who accepted the award at Couvent des Cordeliers.
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