Rushdie: Threat ‘invented’
The Salman Rushdie row refused to blow over on Sunday with the celebrated writer attacking the Rajas-than police for “inventing” a threat to his life to keep him out of the Jaipur Literature Festival.
The Rajasthan government denied this, saying it had got Intelligence Bureau inputs, which were not concocted. A day after the Mumbai police denied reports that it passed on information about “paid assassins” being on their way to eliminate Rushdie, 64-year-old Rushdie vented his anger on Twitter: “Rajasthan police invented plot to keep away Rushdie... I’ve investigated, & believe I was indeed lied to. I am outraged and very angry.”
Rushdie said he didn’t know if the false intelligence was given on someone’s instructions. “Don’t know who gave orders. And yes I guess the same police who want to arrest (aut-hors) Hari, Amitava, Jeet and Ruchir. Disgusting.”
A police complaint was filed against four authors who read portions from The Satanic Verses, a 1988 Rushdie novel banned in India. The four — Hari Kunzru, Amitava Kumar, Jeet Thayil and Ruchir Joshi — have opted out of the five-day festival. The festival organisers denied that the four were forced to leave. “They were not asked to leave,” said festival co-director Namita Gokhale.
Ashok Nagar police station SHO A. Mohammad said: “We received a complaint which is being examined. It’s a complaint, no FIR has been lodged so far.” Complainant Ashok Kumar has demanded action against the authors.
On Sunday, while American talk show host Oprah Winfrey was addressing a packed session, publisher S. Anand attacked the organisers for not backing Rushdie and the four authors, which Ms Gokhale refuted, calling the charge “hurtful”.
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