Thursday, February 17 2005 20:03 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen today (Feb 17, 2005) sought Indian citizenship to stay in the country which she has often described as 'her second home'.

Nasreen, who faxed a letter to Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil during the day, expressed her desire to make India her home after shuttling between India and Europe for the last few years, sources close to her said in Kolkata.

The writer was issued a fatwa in 1994 by Bangladeshi Muslim fundamentalist organisations for her 'anti-Islamic' writings in Lajja. Her other works, Amar Meyebela, Utal Hawa besides Nirbachita Column also faced severe criticism from the fundamentalists.

Nasreen, who was in New Delhi this morning, had long been wanting to apply for Indian citizenship after making Kolkata her temporary home for quite a while, the sources said.

She stirred a hornet's nest in the Kolkata literary circle with the third part of her candid autobigraphy 'Sei Sab Andhakar' last year.