Arrest writers for reading out ‘Satanic Verses’: MP (Lead)
January 21st, 2012 - 2:17 pm ICT by IANSHyderabad, Jan 21 (IANS) Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi has demanded the arrest of the writers who read out from Salman Rushdie’s banned book ‘Satanic Verses’ at the Jaipur Literature Festival.
“Reading from a banned book is a deliberate provocation and proof that the festival is a forum for Islam-bashing,” Owaisi told IANS here Saturday.
Authors Hari Kunzru, Amitava Kumar, Jeet Thayil and Ruchir Joshi read passages from “The Satanic Verses” on the first day of the festival, after Salman Rushdie pulled out of the event citing threats to him.
The Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad said the organizers and writers had committed an offence by reading from the book.
“Their whole idea is to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in Rajasthan and the whole of India. We urge the government of Rajasthan, the central government and local police to take immediate action,” he said.
“In the garb of liberalism, they are resorting to Islam-bashing. They are anti-Islam and anti-Muslim,” he said.
“Our apprehensions have come true. It is not a forum for expressing liberal views but is only aimed at hurting the sentiments of Muslims,” he said.
- MP demands arrest of writers for reading 'Satanic Verses' - Jan 21, 2012
- Rajasthan Police lied, tweets angry Rushdie (Lead) - Jan 22, 2012
- Kolkata litterateurs to protest 'persecution' of 'Satanic Verses' readers - Jan 24, 2012
- Rushdie to speak via video on 'Midnight's Children' (Second Lead) - Jan 23, 2012
- Rushdie may speak at Jaipur fest - via video - Jan 23, 2012
- Rajasthan Police lied, tweets Rushdie; Gehlot fumes (Second Lead) - Jan 22, 2012
- Rushdie likely to address Jaipur fest via video (Lead) - Jan 23, 2012
- Complaints against four authors for 'The Satanic Verses' reading - Jan 23, 2012
- I wanted to give a voice to Salman Rushdie: Hari Kunzru - Jan 23, 2012
- Police complaint against 'The Satanic Verses' reading - Jan 22, 2012
- Jaipur delegates slam Rushdie 'gag' - Jan 24, 2012
- Uncertainty looms over Rushdie's video address (Lead) - Jan 23, 2012
- Jaipur fest organisers stop reading of Satanic Verses - Jan 20, 2012
- Suspense continues over Rushdie's Jaipur visit (Lead) - Jan 19, 2012
- Rushdie slams Imran Khan at India Today conclave - Mar 18, 2012
Tags: amitava kumar, apprehensions, central government, deliberate provocation, festival reading, garb, jan 21, joshi, liberal views, liberalism, literature festival, lok sabha member, mim, offence, passages, peaceful atmosphere, rajasthan, salman rushdie, satanic verses, sentiments