soon to happen in the USA
Salman Rushdie cancels Indian literary festival appearance over death threats from Muslim extremists
By DAMIEN GAYLE
Last updated at 4:53 PM on 20th January 2012
Salman Rushdie cancelled plans to appear at an Indian literature festival today after warnings he could be targeted for assassination by Islamic extremists.
The planned appearance by the Booker Prize-winning author at the Jaipur Literary festival had reawakened the long-dormant controversy over his 1988 book The Satanic Verses.
Some Muslims consider the book blasphemous and Muslim clerics had staged protests against Rushdie's attendance at the festival.
Unlikely lothario: Salman Rushdie dances with Michelle Barish at her birthday party last year. He has been forced to cancel an appearance at a literary festival
Rushdie spent years in hiding after Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini called for his death for writing the book, which was also banned in India.
In recent weeks, the head of the influential Darul Uloom seminary had urged the Indian government to bar Rushdie from the festival.
The chief minister of the state of Rajasthan, where Jaipur is located, also said the writer should stay away because of security concerns.
Organisers of the five-day festival, which began today, postponed an event with Rushdie that had been planned for the first day, but still hoped he would attend.
Ladies man: Rushdie pictured with his fourth wife, Padma Lakshmi
But today they read out a statement from the British-Indian author saying he had decided to cancel his trip.
Rushdie's statement said he had been informed by intelligence sources that 'paid assassins from the Mumbai underworld may be on their way to Jaipur to "eliminate" me'.
'While I have some doubts about the accuracy of this intelligence, it would be irresponsible of me to come to the festival in such circumstances,' he said.
THE SATANIC VERSES: STORM THAT LAUNCHED RUSHDIE'S CELEBRITY
Rushdie's fourth novel, The Satanic Verses propelled the Indian-born writer into a storm of controversy that forced him into hiding for the best part of a decade.
The title refers to the so-called 'satanic verses', a group of alleged Qur'anic verses that allow intercessory prayers to be made to three Pagan Meccan goddesses.
The book's publication in 1988 sparked a wave of protest and condemnation from Muslims who accused it of blasphemy and mocking their faith. The following year, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, then Supreme Leader of Iran, issued a fatwā, or religious ruling, calling for Rushdie's death.
The British government gave the writer round-the-clock police protection.
Although Rushdie was never harmed, the threats to his life were serious. The Japanese translator of the book was murdered, a Norwegian publisher shot and an Italian publisher knifed.
Thirty-seven people were massacred in Sivas, Turkey, in a 1993 attack intended to target Aziz Nesin, the book's Turkish translator.
Since conciliatory statements from Iran in 1998, Rushdie has become a globe-trotting literary celebrity and socialite whose attendance at parties and events is keenly sought.
He has also become notorious as an unlikely lothario, with a string of glamorous girlfriends and four failed marriages.
He apparently now has his eyes set on a fifth after reportedly proposing to Michelle Barish just two days after she split from her billionaire boyfriend.
But that proposal came off the back of an unseemly spat with publicity seeking New York socialite Devorah Rose, who published details of their online conversations.
Ms Barish - who is said to be in Florida with daughter Bee - was thought to be considering the proposal, although she is herself still currently in the process of getting divorced.
The controversy over Rushdie's attendance at Jaipur clouded the opening of the festival, which will be attended by tens of thousands of people who have come to see Oprah Winfrey and literary stars such as Michael Ondaatje, Tom Stoppard and Annie Proulx.
William Dalrymple, an author and an organiser of the festival, told the Associated Press: 'It is tragic.'
Organisers said they hoped to be able to hold an event with Rushdie via video conferencing.
Sanjoy Roy, one of the people behind the event, told AP: 'We are trying to work out the technical details of this. Most likely it is going to happen.'
The 64-year-old author attended the annual festival in 2007 without incident.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2089374/Salman-Rushdie-cancels-Indian-literary-festival-appearance-death-threats-Muslim-extremists.html#ixzz1k1w2uCCE
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.