Thaindian News

By Meena Kar
Oct 31, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Cat Stevens aka Yusuf Islam’s performance in the Rally To Restore Sanity has irked a number of people across the globe as the singer is still to come out of the Salman Rushdie controversy. The singer performed the acoustic and melodious version of ‘Peace Train’ which was interrupted by Stephen Colbert to introduce the Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne.

The singer had come under heavy criticism after he showed support for the fatwa against Salman Rushdie during the Satanic Verses controversy. Later, however, Yusuf Islam tried to retract the statement saying that he was taken out of context and the statements were blown out of proportion. Salman Rushdie himself, however, explained in a statement that he was convinced that Cat Stevens, now known as Yusuf Islam wanted him dead, no matter how much he defended himself by saying that he was taken out of context.

According to Yusuf Islam, however, the controversy was created by the media and he was pulled into it unnecessarily. He explained that he was appalled at the newspaper heading that said that he wants Salman Rushdie dead. Yusuf Islam had appeared in an interview during the controversy and said that he would prefer the real thing being burned instead of the effigies in the protests. He also said that if Salman Rushdie turned up at his residence for help, he would notify the person who issued the fatwa. In spite of directly admitting that the punishment for Salman Rushdie’s crime should be death. Later he said that it was is dry British humor that got misinterpreted.