| Indian External Affairs Ministry has dashed French President, Nicholas SarkozyÂ’s plans to present a prestigious award to controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen, citing recent violence in India over her writings. Nasreen, who remains exiled in Delhi after being thrown out of Kolkata in the wake of violence in the West Bengal capital for hurting feelings of Muslims, was named as recipient of Simone de Beauvoir award by the French government on January 9. France had proposed to honour her during SarkozyÂ’s two-day trip to Delhi. Disfavouring any such move, the ministry has conveyed to the French government that Nasreen was free to travel outside the country to receive the award to be presented to her for her writings on womenÂ’s rights. |