Sunday, April 24 2005 09:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkata: Her fight is not against men, but the patriarchal system, according to controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, who has applied for Indian citizenship.

"The patriarchal system views woman as a sexual object and considers her a child bearing machine. I am against such a system," said Taslima who has applied to the Union Home ministry in February this year (2005) for Indian citizenship.

"I sincerely believe that women have the right to live as human beings. The patriarchal system does not allow them to exercise their rights as human beings. I am fighting for human rights. So I have to speak for women's rights since women are human beings," she told in an interview.

"I initially earned the wrath of Islamic fundamentalists in 1989 in Bangladesh when my 'Nirbachita column' began to serially appear in papers in Bangladesh, as I had advocated equal rights for women," said Taslima who has been in self-exile since 1994 after Bangladeshi fundamentalists issued a death threat to her for being 'anti Islamic'.

"I will stop writing when man and woman are treated equally," she said.

Taslima, who is scheduled to leave for Europe in three weeks time, said that those who saw society as patriarchal belonged to the Dark Ages and sought to remain in the past.

"They also do not represent the views of the moderate Muslim community. They are only using religion to suit their own needs," she said.

Taslima said that she had always written against inequality between man and woman in marriage, divorce, child custody and inheritance.

Recalling her tumultuous days in Bangladesh, Taslima said "My writings did not make religious fundamentalists happy. They objected to a woman's endeavour to break her chains and be free.

"They were upset at my saying that religious law, which discriminates against women, needs to be replaced by secular law"

"The Bangladesh Government instead of taking action against the fundamentalists took action against me. "I was charged with having hurt the religious feelings of the people. An arrest warrant was issued. But despite all the pressure I kept on writing," said Taslima, several of whose books have been banned in Bangladesh.

She said that she believed in a world where no woman would be oppressed and be a victim of sexual assault.

Asked about a formal communication from the Centre about her appeal for Indian citizenship, Taslima, said she had been informed by the Foreigners Regional Office here that there was no official word from Delhi.