Tuesday, March 29 2005 16:21 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Centre turned down self-exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen's plea for citizenship but has granted her a six-month multiple entry visa, a Home Ministry official said Tuesday (March 29, 2005).

On February 17, Nasreen wrote to Home Minister Shivraj Patil urging India to grant her citizenship, saying the country of her birth had "slammed the doors" on her possible return.

The doctor-turned-writer fled Bangladesh after the publication of her book "Lajja" or "Shame" in 1994 that was critical of the treatment of women in the country and earned her the wrath of fundamentalists.

"In 2002, she was given a one-year prison term in absentia on charges of making derogatory comments about Islam in several of her books.

Besides Lajja, her other autobiographical works, "Amar Meyebela" (My Childhood) and "Utala Hawa" (Torrid Wind) were also banned.

The Home Minister held a meeting last evening to study the legal implications of granting her citizenship and finally took the decision to ask the external affairs ministry to grant her a six-month multiple entry visa," said the official, who did not want to named.

Although we relate to her situation, it would have been difficult to make an exception out of her case. It would have required us to change India's Citizenship Act," he added.

According to India's constitutional laws on citizenship, a foreigner has to have lived in India for at least 11 years to apply for citizenship.

Nasreen, whose book "Ka" described her alleged affairs with a number of prominent Bangladeshi figures, earlier said she would like to settle down in West Bengal which adjoins Bangladesh and shares the same Bengali language.

"My love for the language and the people of West Bengal is all what prompted me to apply for Indian citizenship," said Nasreen.

"Living in West Bengal would help me in my writings," said the 43-year-old author, who has been in Kolkata during the last month waiting for the Government's decision.