Reading of Satanic Verses by 4 authors in Jaipur lands them in trouble

Salman Rushdie didn’t come to Jaipur Literary festival.  But four authors read from Rushdie’s “Satanic Verses” at the festival.  This has created a big hue and cry now.  Such is the terrorism of the Islamic community within India and the fear among all people, that the organizers seem to have capitulated to the pressure.

The Salman Rushdie row refused to die down on Sunday with a police complaint being filed against the four authors who read out portions from the controversial author’s banned book ‘Satanic Verses’ at the Jaipur Literature Festival. The four authors, Hari Kunzru, Amitava Kumar, Jeet Thayil and Rushir Joshi, who struck a defiant note by reading from the banned book on Friday after Rushdie called off his visit citing death threats, opted out of the five-day meet.
The festival organisers, who had issued a strong statement distancing themselves from the actions of the four authors, on Sunday dismissed reports which said the writers have been forced to leave.

“They were not asked to leave,” festival organiser Namita Gokhale clarified.

“We received a complaint which is being examined. It is a complaint and no FIR has been lodged so far,” said A Mohammad, SHO of Ashok Nagar police station. The complainant Ashok Kumar has demanded action against the authors.