Criticising the government for the controversy surrounding Salman Rushdie's visit to the Jaipur Literature Festival, novelist Vikram Seth said the affair was whipped up because of ‘power’, ‘politics’ and ‘misuse of religion’.
"The whole affair was whipped up because of power and politics and because of the misuse of religion. And the government did nothing. Frankly this is madness," he said at the Kolkata Literary Meet.
"We are a constitutional nation and not a religious dictatorship. Unless he or she threatens violence, we do not have the right to gag or dictate what he or she can say or see or hear. We don't have the right to cover up eyes, ears and mouth of the three monkeys with our own hands," he said.
Quoting B. R. Ambedkar, the Kolkata-born author said constitutional morality is more important than religious morality.
"If you ever use the argument of religious morality, remember Ambedkar said there is something more important in the Republic and it is known as constitutional morality. Not religious morality, constitutional morality," he said.
Without naming Rushdie in his speech at the Kolkata Literary Meet here, he said, "A similar gathering a few days ago ended as a disgraceful exhibition of the suppression of word, mind and heart."
After threat by Muslim groups, Rushdie's visit to the Jaipur lit fest, which ended two days ago, was cancelled.