Convenient for Congress I didn’t come: Rushdie
January 25th, 2012 - 12:10 am ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) Salman Rushdie Tuesday said “it was very convenient for everyone in the Congress that he did not come to India just before the Uttar Pradesh elections” scheduled in February-March.
“I wasn’t contacted by anyone in the government at the beginning. The Rajasthan authorities were saying to the organisers that they wanted to make my trip possible. But as it got closer and closer that commitment started to waiver. I have some skepticism about how genuine their commitment was. It was very convenient to everyone in the Congress that I did not come just before the UP vote,” he said in an interview to NDTV news Channel.
The Congress is desperately trying to woo the 16 percent Muslims in Uttar Pradesh in order to revive the party in the state. The state’s population is around 20 crore.
Saying “the way in which the Congress party in centre or in Rajasthan, and many other parties stated their opposition”, Rushdie said he “felt confident that some way would be found to prevent him from coming”.
“And sadly it was.”
Salman said he had asked former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi “what kind of India he wanted to live in and what kind of India he wanted to lead?”
“Would you like it to be free or one in which leadership is corrupt? Or one in which police forces are unreliable? It’s proper to ask these questions and demand answers,” said Rushdie.
Stating it was very hard to see how his visit was offensive to anyone in India, the author said “had the protest not been whipped up by Deoband and colluded with by the political establishment; it’s a stupid thing”.
“Men of violence need to be called by their true name. This is gangsterism. That is the true crime. It’s a black farce,” he said.
Stating he has been “dealing with this nonsense for a quarter of a century”, he said his book “The Satanic Verses” was widely read and appreciated.
“I just go on with my work and with my life. I’m not easily fazed by this sort of thing anymore,” he said.
He said the incident showed “India that values’ freedom is very much alive and kicking and not being well represented by its leaders”.
- Visit controversy a black farce, says shocked Rushdie (Lead) - Jan 25, 2012
- Now, Muslims in Rajasthan protest Rushdie's Jaipur visit - Jan 11, 2012
- Rajasthan government to decide on Rushdie visit? - Jan 12, 2012
- Rushdie unlikely to attend Jaipur Festival - Jan 17, 2012
- Congress refutes Rushdie remarks - Jan 26, 2012
- Rushdie trip to Jaipur uncertain, cleric seeks apology (Roundup) - Jan 17, 2012
- Rushdie controversy is case of match-fixing: BJP - Jan 23, 2012
- Congress, BJP spar over Rushdie's cancelled visit (Lead) - Jan 24, 2012
- BJP says Congress playing politics with Rushdie visit - Jan 10, 2012
- Rushdie should have been allowed to come: Arun Jaitley - Jan 24, 2012
- Rushdie does not need visa, has PIO card: Khurshid - Jan 11, 2012
- Concoted death threat? Rushdie is wrong: Gehlot - Jan 22, 2012
- Rushdie episode worst communal vote bank politics: BJP (Second Lead) - Jan 24, 2012
- Rushdie cites threat to life, cancels Jaipur visit (Second Lead) - Jan 20, 2012
- Muslims in India are being misled: Salman Rushdie (Lead) - Mar 18, 2012
Tags: congress party, crore, demand answers, deoband, farce, former prime minister, gangsterism, jan 24, ndtv, ndtv news channel, police forces, political establishment, rajasthan, rajiv gandhi, salman rushdie, satanic verses, skepticism, stupid thing, true name, uttar pradesh elections