Mumbai: Editor of the Mumbai edition of Urdu daily ‘Avadhnama’, Shirin Dalvi, is away from home after multiple cases were filed against her for reprinting a controversial cover of the French magazine Charlie Hebdo on Jan. 17.
On Thursday, even as a group of ex-employees of Avadhnama held a press meet alleging that the paper’s management had conspired along with Dalvi to publish the cartoon and shut the paper, Dalvi denied the charges.
“There was no conspiracy. Neither the management was consulted on the matter, nor was I told to reproduce the Hebdo cover. I carried it along with news of the Pope’s statement condemning misuse of freedom of expression to hurt religious sentiments,” Dalvi said.
“The very next day, I realized my mistake and apologized unconditionally and also penned an editorial clarifying that the whole thing had not been done intentionally,” she said.
“On Jan. 4, we carried a special issue on the occasion of the Prophet’s birthday. The paper was picking up and now, along with other staff, I’m jobless. Some say I own an ad agency that I can fall back on, but I can’t run it when I am living like a refugee.”
Her house in Mumbai is locked and her two college-going children (son and daughter) are living with relatives, she has sought refuge at friends’ places in the city and the suburbs.Â