Thursday, February 24 2005 20:05 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Controversial writer Taslima Nasreen, portions of whose book "Dwikhondito" was banned by the West Bengal Government for denigrating Islam, today (Feb 24, 2005) attended the hearing of a case in the Calcutta High Court in connection with the challenge over the legality of the ban.

Taslima stood through the short hearing of the case, which was adjourned till March 15. "In this country, at least one can fight for his or her rights," she said after the hearing.

Nasreen, who is not a party in the case, said that she had come to the court "to support the effort to uphold the freedom of expression since this case relates to that right."

A special bench comprising Justice Dilip Seth, Justice Alok Basu and Justice Soumitra Pal adjourned the hearing of a writ petition challenging the validity of the ban on two pages of the book.

The petitioner is one Sujato Bhadra, a civil rights activist, who sought the setting aside of the ban claiming that it is for the readers to judge whether the contents of a book is good or bad or whether it offends the sentiments of followers of a religion.

The bench directed the State to file its affidavit in Opposition by March 9, 2005, while the petitioner was asked to file his affidavit in reply by March 13.

The matter would come up for hearing again on March 15.