I Am An Atheist. I

Religion Is Against Women's Rights And Women's Freedom. In All Societies Women Are Oppressed By All Religions.

Religion Is Now The First Obstacle To Women's Advancement. Religion Pulls Human Beings Backwards, It Goes Against Science And Progressiveness. Religion Engulfs People With A Fear Of The Supernatural. It Bars People From Laughing And Never Allows People To Exercise Their Choice.

I Don't Find Any Difference Between Islam And Islamic Fundamentalists. I Believe Religion Is The Root, And From The Root Fundamentalism Grows As A Poisonous Stem. If We Remove Fundamentalism And Keep Religion, Then One Day Or Another Fundamentalism Will Grow Again. I Need To Say That Because Some Liberals Always Defend Islam And Blame Fundamentalists For Creating Problems. But Islam Itself Oppresses Women. Islam Itself Doesn't Permit Democracy And It Violates Human Rights.

I Have Lectured At The U.n. And Travelled Widely, Giving Lectures On Human Rights And Gender Inequalities In Universities. But This Is A Life I Do Not Wish To Live. I Don't Want To Be A Showcase, I Want To Be In A Battlefield Where I Can Stand Beside The Oppressed And The Poor.

Among All The 'awards' That I Have Hitherto Collected, I Consider The Title Of 'patita' Or 'fallen Woman' To Be The Highest. This Is An Achievement Of My Long-struggling Life As A Writer And As A Woman.