Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "silence" along with that of institutions like the Sahitya Akademi is permitting a new "degree of thuggish violence" in India, celebrated Mumbai-born author Salman Rushdie said, amid a raging debate over 'rising intolerance' in India.
Speaking exclusively on NDTV's The Buck Stops Here from London, Mr Rushdie said, "There are attacks on ordinary liberties, the ordinary right of assembly, the ordinary right to organize an event in which people can talk about books and ideas freely and without hostility, that seems to be in real grave danger in India today."
Making it clear that he wasn't taking sides between the Congress and the BJP, the 68-year-old author said that he was no supporter of the Congress which had banned his book, but believed that there was something different unfolding in India today.
"I am not a fan of any political party. I don't support either side of this argument. Obviously, when 'The Satanic Verses' was banned, it was banned by the Congress of Rajiv Gandhi and then, there was the episode of Jaipur which was the last time we had to talk like this by long distance. And of course, I am not any kind of fan of that. But I think what's crept into Indian life now is a degree of thuggish violence which is new. And it seems to be, I have to say, given permission by the silence of official bodies, by the silence of the Sahitya Akademi which is what so many of the writers are protesting about, by the silence of the Prime Minister's Office. Mr Modi is a very talkative gentleman, he has a lot to say on a lot of subjects and it would be very good to hear what he has to say about all this," Mr Rushdie said. Full story...
Related posts:
Speaking exclusively on NDTV's The Buck Stops Here from London, Mr Rushdie said, "There are attacks on ordinary liberties, the ordinary right of assembly, the ordinary right to organize an event in which people can talk about books and ideas freely and without hostility, that seems to be in real grave danger in India today."
Making it clear that he wasn't taking sides between the Congress and the BJP, the 68-year-old author said that he was no supporter of the Congress which had banned his book, but believed that there was something different unfolding in India today.
"I am not a fan of any political party. I don't support either side of this argument. Obviously, when 'The Satanic Verses' was banned, it was banned by the Congress of Rajiv Gandhi and then, there was the episode of Jaipur which was the last time we had to talk like this by long distance. And of course, I am not any kind of fan of that. But I think what's crept into Indian life now is a degree of thuggish violence which is new. And it seems to be, I have to say, given permission by the silence of official bodies, by the silence of the Sahitya Akademi which is what so many of the writers are protesting about, by the silence of the Prime Minister's Office. Mr Modi is a very talkative gentleman, he has a lot to say on a lot of subjects and it would be very good to hear what he has to say about all this," Mr Rushdie said. Full story...
Related posts:
- Salman Rushdie chastises authors protesting Charlie Hebdo tribute...
- Imran Khan pulls out of conference because Salman Rushdie is attending...
- Why India man was lynched over beef rumours...
- Mob in Jaipur stops Salman Rushdie talk: organisers get death threats...
- Salman Rushdie persuaded to stay away from Jaipur Literature Festival...
- Salman Rushdie: Pakistan should be declared a terrorist state...
- From Satanic Verses to Sir Salman Rushdie...
No comments:
Post a Comment