Kolkata:
Award-winning author Salman Rushdie has cancelled his visit to Kolkata today because his hosts, PVR Cinenma, which is distributing Midnight's Children, based on his book, could not organise the venue for a press conference for him to promote the film.
Deepa Mehta, who has directed the movie, and other members of the crew who were supposed to participate at the Kolkata Literary Meet (which is a part of the Kolkata Book Fair) have also cancelled their visit
As news of the writer's scheduled visit spread, some minority organisations held protests at the Kolkata airport this morning saying they would not allow the author of The Satanic Verses, which is still banned in India, to enter the city.
The Kolkata Literary Meet has confirmed the cancellation of the interaction with the film crew this evening.
PVR Cinema could not be contacted for details.
Last year, Mr Rushdie was not allowed to attend the Jaipur Literary Festival after protests by some hardliner Muslim groups. The government said Mr Rushdie's visit would present a huge security risk; intelligence agencies reportedly told the writer they had information about assassins who could be deputed to kill him by the Mumbai underworld.