Salman Rushdie skips Jaipur Litfest, says 'paid assassins were out to kill me'

Jaipur: As Jaipur stages the annual Literature Festival from today, the suspense over Salman Rushdie's participation is finally over. The acclaimed author will not be coming to India. The organiser read a statement from Mr Rushdie, where the author said "in the present circumstances, it would be insensitive for me to come to India."

"I have been informed by Intelligence Bureau sources in Maharashtra and Rajasthan that paid assassins from the Mumbai underworld were coming... to eliminate me... I will therefore not travel as planned," Mr Rushdie's statement went on to say.

The author tweeted he will be doing a video chat instead.
The Darul Uloom Deoband had asked that his visa be cancelled; other Muslim clerics have called for protests.  Mr Rushdie had tweeted that he doesn't need a visa because he has Person of Indian Origin status, which allows him to travel freely to India.

Mr Rushdie has made several personal trips to India in recent years.  He had also attended the 2007 edition of the Jaipur Literary Festival.

William Darlymple, director of the festival, which began today, said, "In a just place, Rushdie would have been showered with rose petals on the road. But this is unfortunate." (Your comments)

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The author faced severe opposition to his visit due to his controversial 1988 book, The Satanic Verses, which had earned the wrath of Muslims worldwide due to its alleged blasphemous content.

"If people don't like what Rushdie has written they are free to condemn him but I don't think anyone has the right to ban him. I feel that if he wants to attend this literary festival as one of the finest authors in the world, he should have every right to do so and the govt must ensure his security," said Kabir Bedi, actor and regular Host for Jaipur Litfest Awards.

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The Rushdie row aside, a range of literary delights are on the festival menu. Among the coming stalwarts are Tom Stoppard and Michael Ondaatje and themes this year range from Bhakti poetry to the Arab Spring. But a unique attraction will be a session with iconic chat show host Oprah Winfery.

"Oprah's role in reviving the reading habit and what she's done for books is so salutary that we are honoured and delighted that she's coming here," says Namita Gokhale, Director, Jaipur Lit fest.

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(with Agency inputs)