Wednesday, March 30 2005 15:29 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen today (Mar 30, 2005) said that she was hopeful about her appeal for a residential permit being granted by the Centre if it did not consider her plea for citizenship.

"I have not heard from the Centre. I have not lost hope for my appeal for Indian citizenship on the grounds that I am a creative person. If that is not possible since I have not stayed for 11 years in India as required for grant of citizenship, I should be allowed to have a residential permit," Nasreen said in Kolkata.

She was responding to questions after the Centre reportedly asked the West Bengal Government and security agencies for clarifications on her plea for extension of her visa to stay in India.

Nasreen, whose visa expired last month, had applied for Indian citizenship on February 14 or a permanent residential permit in India.

The writer, who has been in self-exile since 1994 after religious fundamentalists in Bangladesh charged her with blasphemy and issued death threats against her, said all she wanted was to do was to live in India and continue with her literary activities.

"As matters stand I have already applied for extension of my tourist visa by three months. What will be the use of its extension by another three months?" she asked.

She hoped that the Government of West Bengal, a State, which she wanted to stay in, would respond positively to the Centre's reported query.