Thaindian News

Jaipur, Jan 24 (IANS) The intellectuals fraternity at the Jaipur Literature Festival responded with outrage to the new “fatwa” on author Salman Rushdie, who was stopped from addressing the audience via video link Tuesday after some Muslim groups threatened violence.

Passions flared as noted Mumbai-based lyricist and social activist Javed Akhtar said: “Muslims in the country should not develop a persecution complex.”

“It has been happening and it can happen to all. We talk of minority in this country and the smallest minority in this country are Indians,” Akhtar said at a panel discussion at the festival an hour after Rushdie’s video conference was called off.

The lyricist said India was a “country that has one of the highest number of unemployed, visually challenged people, highest number of tuberculosis patients and high maternal mortality”.

He said Muslims have failed to raise real issues concerning their community. “However, they get involved in petty issues like Rushdie’s visit.

“These are the issues we need to discuss… I am an Indian first, Indian second and Indian third. I am not a secret atheist,” Akhtar said.

He said the ban is on “The Satanic Verses”, not on the author himself.

“A trend to ban everything against a set opinion is becoming contagious in this country,” he added.

“The constitution provides security… You are sitting in a state (Rajasthan) where a censored film like ‘Jodhaa-Akbar’ could not be released. You are sitting in a country where a painter like M.F. Husain was thrown out,” Akhtar hit out.

Actor Rahul Bose, who dropped in at the festival for a day Tuesday, quoted from the constitution, saying the event was not the forum to settle the debate over “The Satanic Verses”.

“The constitution says reasonable restrictions can be imposed (on freedom of expression) in the interest of public order, security of state, decency or morality,” Bose said.

“If you have to change law and order or challenge it, do it outside the festival. How many of us can start the fight? Anything can happen. Lives will be lost and people will be hurt,” Bose said.

Pointing out a loophole in the arguments against “The Satanic Verses”, former bureaucrat and noted poet Ashok Vajpeyi said: “The book was banned under the customs law, which meant that the book could not be brought to India or sold in the country.”

“But under which law it cannot be read,” he asked referring to the controversy over four writers, Hari Kunzru, Jeet Thayil, Amitava Kumar and Ruchir Joshi reading excerpts from the book on the first day of the festival Jan 20.

“The whole episode, in a strange way, makes me happy that in this country there are people who feel and so many people are feeling threatened by a novel that was banned 25 years ago. It was completely proper for the writers to read the extracts. It is infructuous to have a ban now,” Vajpeyi said.

Editor and writer Tarun Tejpal said: “The line of engagement between the law and adherence is shifting.”

The laws exist for all kinds of things but the violence is constant, Tejpal said.

“This is the reality of what happens on the ground. I am not going to say that Indian politicians are stupid… what we can do is constantly protest,” he said.

Mohd. Salim Engineer, a senior leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, however, defended faith and the sanctity of holy texts.

“If somebody abuses your father, if somebody abuses your mother, is it freedom?

“Islam means peace and freedom. Salman Rushdie has abused freedom of expression,” Engineer said.

In a statement late evening, the organisers of the festival expressed regret at the cancellation of Rushdie’s address, but praised the role of the Rajasthan Police in protecting each person at the venue.

“They (protesting Muslims) did convey the strong possibility of escalating violence in the venue and that our guests may be harmed. Our host, the owner of Diggi Palace, felt that he had no option but to cancel the session and safeguard his home, family and guests,” the statement said.

“When Salman took his decision not to come on Friday, he said ‘I can’t imperil the audience or my fellow writers or any of you.’ We too found ourselves in the same position and in the end, given our hosts’ position, we had no option. It’s a bad day, and a horrible moment for us all,” it added.