Please make a note of the fact that these "readings" from the novel Satanic Verses at the Jaipur Festival did not cause any disturbance among the attendants which must have contained Muslims. This fact should also be added to the fact that Rushdie never followed up Satanic Verses with anything, either in his fiction or public writings, that could be considered anti-Islam, though he has always been expressly against religious fundamentalism.
Therefore, the novel Satanic Verses is not an anti-Islamic novel. It is, in fact, a pro-Indian Muslim novel with warm feelings towards the Prophet, Islam and the Qur'an. Rushdie is sufficiently knowledgeable in Islamic studies, which, incidentally, Taslima Nasreen is not. She does not even know what religious fundamentalism is by definition because she receives accolades and international prizes just by bad-mouthing Islam.
The whole Rushdie Affair was a very nasty and complex politics played on the world stage. The Fundamentalists and their secret supporters won that round, but only to "pay" for in later politics as we are probably witnessing now.
Farida
From: sukla.sen@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2012 11:06:19 +0530
Subject: Rushdie cancels visit, angry authors read Satanic Verses
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-Beatrice Hall [pseudonym: S.G. Tallentyre], 190
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Therefore, the novel Satanic Verses is not an anti-Islamic novel. It is, in fact, a pro-Indian Muslim novel with warm feelings towards the Prophet, Islam and the Qur'an. Rushdie is sufficiently knowledgeable in Islamic studies, which, incidentally, Taslima Nasreen is not. She does not even know what religious fundamentalism is by definition because she receives accolades and international prizes just by bad-mouthing Islam.
The whole Rushdie Affair was a very nasty and complex politics played on the world stage. The Fundamentalists and their secret supporters won that round, but only to "pay" for in later politics as we are probably witnessing now.
Farida
From: sukla.sen@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2012 11:06:19 +0530
Subject: Rushdie cancels visit, angry authors read Satanic Verses
http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5770961
21/01/2012
Rushdie cancels visit, angry authors read Satanic Verses
The banned Satanic Verses cast its shadow at the Jaipur Literature
Festival on Friday with its controversial author Salman Rushdie citing
death threats pulling out of the event while some outraged authors
read out portions of the book.
Ending days of speculation over his participation in the event, the
India-born Booker prize winning author in a message to the organisers
stated that he had been told by intelligence sources in Maharashtra
and Rajasthan that "paid assassins" from the Mumbai underworld may be
on their way to Jaipur to "eliminate" him.
"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; irresponsible to my family, to the festival audience,
and to my fellow writers. I will, therefore, not travel to Jaipur as
planned," Rushdie said as the five-day literary meet kicked off today.
The 65-year-old novelist later said on Twitter that he would
participate at the event via video link.
The circumstances under which Rushdie had to cancel his India visit
outraged the literary community who said it is a "stain" on India's
reputation.
Darul Uloom Deoband, a leading Islamic seminary which had on January 9
asked government to bar Rushdie from coming to India as he had
allegedly hurt religious sentiments of Muslims, welcomed Rushdie's
decision.
As a mark of protest, two prominent authors--Hari Kunzru and Amitava
Kumar--used their session at the festival to read out portions from
"Satanic Verses", banned in the country shortly after it was published
in 1988, for allegedly hurting the sentiments of Muslims.
Kunzru and Kumar referred to the book during their own readings and
discussions and actually went on to read out portions from it.
In fact just before his reading, Kunzru tweeted:"About to defy bigots
and shoe throwers, reading @SalmanRushdie Satanic Verses on stage with
@amitavakumar at #jaipur #jlf (sic)."
They also read out Rushdie's tweet to the audience in which he had
thanked the two for reading from his work to a loud applause.
The organizers later asked Kumar not to go ahead with his reading.
Kumar initially agreed to the suggestion but later continued reading
from Rushdie's work.
Soon afterwards, authors Jeet Thayil and Ruchir Joshi said they too
would read from the Satanic Verses.
A perturbed Rushdie later tweeted: "@amitavakumar says organizers
asked him not to continue reading from Satanic Verses." Willie,
Sanjoy: why did this happen?". He was referring to William Dalrymple
and Sanjoy K Roy, the festival organizers.
Rushdie again tweeted: "Joshi too said they would be reading from the
Satanic Verses."
Earlier, outrage and resentment were the dominant emotions on the
first day of the Festival as writers, intellectuals and fans cried
foul over Rushdie calling off his visit.
Pakistan-based writer Mohammed Hanif, the author of "The Case of
Exploding Mangoes" and "The Lady of Alice Bhatti", said the
"controversy over the 'The Satanic Verses' has been blown out of
proportion and it should not have happened". Addressing the media,
writer William Dalrymple said "the whole episode was the result of
Chinese whispers."
"At least 262 authors are here to enjoy. Salman is a writer of
enormous depth. It is a great tragedy that he is not here," Dalrymple
said as writer Namita Gokhale said she was "personally very
disappointed that Salman Rushdie was not coming".
"I hope and believe that we will have him here another year," Gokhale said.
Eminent poet and lyricist Gulzar, who was at the festival, said, "It
is wrong to muzzle free speech". "Whoever is responsible for this
politics will pay. I regret that Rushdie could not come to the
festival," the lyricist said.
Novelist and playwright Kiran Nagarkar, who has also faced political
gag for his play "The Bedtime Story", lamented "the constraints on the
freedom of speech in a democracy". "I know the feeling," the writer
said.
Source: PTI/IANS
--
Peace Is Doable
21/01/2012
Rushdie cancels visit, angry authors read Satanic Verses
The banned Satanic Verses cast its shadow at the Jaipur Literature
Festival on Friday with its controversial author Salman Rushdie citing
death threats pulling out of the event while some outraged authors
read out portions of the book.
Ending days of speculation over his participation in the event, the
India-born Booker prize winning author in a message to the organisers
stated that he had been told by intelligence sources in Maharashtra
and Rajasthan that "paid assassins" from the Mumbai underworld may be
on their way to Jaipur to "eliminate" him.
"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; irresponsible to my family, to the festival audience,
and to my fellow writers. I will, therefore, not travel to Jaipur as
planned," Rushdie said as the five-day literary meet kicked off today.
The 65-year-old novelist later said on Twitter that he would
participate at the event via video link.
The circumstances under which Rushdie had to cancel his India visit
outraged the literary community who said it is a "stain" on India's
reputation.
Darul Uloom Deoband, a leading Islamic seminary which had on January 9
asked government to bar Rushdie from coming to India as he had
allegedly hurt religious sentiments of Muslims, welcomed Rushdie's
decision.
As a mark of protest, two prominent authors--Hari Kunzru and Amitava
Kumar--used their session at the festival to read out portions from
"Satanic Verses", banned in the country shortly after it was published
in 1988, for allegedly hurting the sentiments of Muslims.
Kunzru and Kumar referred to the book during their own readings and
discussions and actually went on to read out portions from it.
In fact just before his reading, Kunzru tweeted:"About to defy bigots
and shoe throwers, reading @SalmanRushdie Satanic Verses on stage with
@amitavakumar at #jaipur #jlf (sic)."
They also read out Rushdie's tweet to the audience in which he had
thanked the two for reading from his work to a loud applause.
The organizers later asked Kumar not to go ahead with his reading.
Kumar initially agreed to the suggestion but later continued reading
from Rushdie's work.
Soon afterwards, authors Jeet Thayil and Ruchir Joshi said they too
would read from the Satanic Verses.
A perturbed Rushdie later tweeted: "@amitavakumar says organizers
asked him not to continue reading from Satanic Verses." Willie,
Sanjoy: why did this happen?". He was referring to William Dalrymple
and Sanjoy K Roy, the festival organizers.
Rushdie again tweeted: "Joshi too said they would be reading from the
Satanic Verses."
Earlier, outrage and resentment were the dominant emotions on the
first day of the Festival as writers, intellectuals and fans cried
foul over Rushdie calling off his visit.
Pakistan-based writer Mohammed Hanif, the author of "The Case of
Exploding Mangoes" and "The Lady of Alice Bhatti", said the
"controversy over the 'The Satanic Verses' has been blown out of
proportion and it should not have happened". Addressing the media,
writer William Dalrymple said "the whole episode was the result of
Chinese whispers."
"At least 262 authors are here to enjoy. Salman is a writer of
enormous depth. It is a great tragedy that he is not here," Dalrymple
said as writer Namita Gokhale said she was "personally very
disappointed that Salman Rushdie was not coming".
"I hope and believe that we will have him here another year," Gokhale said.
Eminent poet and lyricist Gulzar, who was at the festival, said, "It
is wrong to muzzle free speech". "Whoever is responsible for this
politics will pay. I regret that Rushdie could not come to the
festival," the lyricist said.
Novelist and playwright Kiran Nagarkar, who has also faced political
gag for his play "The Bedtime Story", lamented "the constraints on the
freedom of speech in a democracy". "I know the feeling," the writer
said.
Source: PTI/IANS
--
Peace Is Doable
__._,_.___
****************************************************
Mukto Mona plans for a Grand Darwin Day Celebration:
Call For Articles:
http://mukto-mona.com/wordpress/?p=68
http://mukto-mona.com/banga_blog/?p=585
****************************************************
VISIT MUKTO-MONA WEB-SITE : http://www.mukto-mona.com/
****************************************************
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it".
-Beatrice Hall [pseudonym: S.G. Tallentyre], 190
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