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Drop Salman Rushdie supporters, Jaipur literary festival told Drop Salman Rushdie supporters, Jaipur literary festival told
(about 3 hours later)
A group of conservative Muslim clerics in India have called on the organisers of the annual Jaipur literary festival to drop speakers involved in a demonstration of support for Salman Rushdie, the controversial author, at last year's event before the opening later this week. A group of conservative Muslim clerics in India have called on the organisers of the annual Jaipur literary festival to drop speakers who were involved in a demonstration of support for Salman Rushdie at last year's event before the opening later this week.
Last January an appearance by Rushdie, 65, at the Jaipur literary festival was cancelled after protests from local Islamic groups and threats from some activists. Last January an appearance by Rushdie, 65, at the Jaipur literary festival was cancelled after protests from local Islamic groups and threats from some activists. Acting without the sanction of organisers, four authors at the event read portions of the Satanic Verses, the 1988 book that is still banned in India, in support of Rushdie.
Acting without the sanction of organisers, four authors at the event later read portions of the Satanic Verses, the 1988 book which earned Rushdie a fatwa calling for his death from the Iranian Ayatollah Khomeini and is still banned in India, as a demonstration of support for the author.
A number of legal complaints alleging incitement to racial hatred and other offences were subsequently lodged in Indian courts. The incident provoked fears for free speech in India and criticism of the government.A number of legal complaints alleging incitement to racial hatred and other offences were subsequently lodged in Indian courts. The incident provoked fears for free speech in India and criticism of the government.
Sajid Sehrai, an Islamic scholar and organiser of a meeting in Jaipur at the weekend at which a number of clerics and scholars issued a statement calling for the writers who had demonstrated to be stopped from appearing, called Rushdie "a criminal who has committed a heinous crime against all Muslims". Sajid Sehrai, an Islamic scholar who organised a meeting in Jaipur at the weekend at which the clerics made their call against the authors, said Rushdie was "a criminal who has committed a heinous crime against all Muslims".
"There is a hidden agenda here … Freedom of expression to insult Prophet Mohammed will not be tolerated by Muslims. We want to expose the motive of insult," Sehrai told The Guardian. He blamed "the west, Christianity and … Jews" for a campaign to "defame Islam". "There is a hidden agenda here … Freedom of expression to insult Prophet Muhammad will not be tolerated by Muslims. We want to expose the motive of insult," Sehrai told the Guardian. He blamed "the west, Christianity and … Jews" for a campaign to "defame Islam".
Organisers said that they were confused by the demands. Only one of the four authors who read parts of the Satanic Verses last year has been invited this year: Jeet Thayil, whose novel Narcopolis was shortlisted for the 2012 Man Booker Prize. The protestors appeared to have confused the identity of another writer. Organisers said they were confused by the demands. Only one of the four authors who read parts of the Satanic Verses last year has been invited this year: Jeet Thayil, whose novel Narcopolis was shortlisted for the 2012 Man Booker prize. The protesters appeared to have confused the identity of another writer. "This is what India is all about. There's always someone offended by someone," one organiser told the Guardian.
"This is what India is all about. There's always someone offended by someone," one organiser told The Guardian. Sanjoy Roy, a director of the festival, told local television channels there would be no change in the schedule. "We have no issues if any groups are trying to express something. They could do that democratically … We will not get bullied by such fringe elements," he said.
Sanjoy Roy, a director of the Festival, told local television channels that there would be "no change in schedule". The demands are unlikely to provoke the controversy seen last year. There appears to be little broader sympathy for Sehrai's call. The 2012 festival took place against a charged political backdrop, with campaigning under way for elections in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh state where there is a large Muslim minority.
"We have no issues if any groups are trying to express something. They could do that democratically … We will not get bullied by such fringe elements," he said. The demands are unlikely to provoke the controversy seen last year. There appears to be little broader sympathy for Sehrai's call. The 2012 festival took place against a charged political backdrop with campaigning underway for elections in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh state where there is a large Muslim minority. When a senior conservative cleric and Islamic groups, in part prompted by local media, began a campaign to stop Rushdie attending last year, the affair made headlines worldwide and prompted debate within India. At first Rushdie was scheduled to appear in person, then via a video link. Eventually Jaipur's police chief, Vijendra Jhala, told reporters that "in view of the resentment simmering in the city" he had told the organisers "they cannot allow the writer to speak via video".
When a senior conservative cleric and Islamic groups, in part prompted by local media, began a campaign to stop Rushdie attending last year, the affair hit headlines worldwide and prompted a fierce debate within India. At first Rushdie was scheduled to appear in person, then via a video link. Rushdie, who has visited India on many occasions and spoke at Jaipur in 2007, later said his "overwhelming feeling" was one of "disappointment on behalf of India, which is a country that I have loved all my life and whose long-term commitment to secularism and liberty is something I've praised for much of my life.
Eventually Jaipur's police chief, Vijendra Jhala, told reporters that "in view of the resentment simmering in the city" he had told the organisers "they cannot allow the writer to speak via video".
Rushdie, who has visited India on many occasions and spoke at Jaipur in 2007, later said that his "overwhelming feeling" was "disappointment on behalf of India, which is a country that I have loved all my life and whose long-term commitment to secularism and liberty is something I've praised for much of my life."
"Now I find an India in which religious extremists can prevent free expression of ideas at a literary festival, in which the politicians are too … in bed with those groups to wish to oppose them for narrow electoral reasons, in which the police forces are unable to secure venues against demonstrators even when they know the demonstration is on its way," the author told a local TV channel, NDTV."Now I find an India in which religious extremists can prevent free expression of ideas at a literary festival, in which the politicians are too … in bed with those groups to wish to oppose them for narrow electoral reasons, in which the police forces are unable to secure venues against demonstrators even when they know the demonstration is on its way," the author told a local TV channel, NDTV.
This year's edition of the festival is focussing on local writers and writing, organisers say. This year's edition of the festival focuses on local writers and writing, organisers say.