Rushdie skips Jaipur; Satanic Verses reading as form of protest is cancelled
The agenda of Day One of the Jaipur Literature Festival remained firmly focused not on who were there - authors like Michael Ondaatje and David Hare - but the big name missing. By 2 pm, it was official - Salman Rushdie would not attend the five-day event because of security concerns, not just his own but for others at the festival. Muslim clerics had warned of protests against Mr Rushdie; they say his book, The Satanic Verses, is blasphemous.
