Rushdie unbanned in India after 35 years

The Delhi High Court has lifted the 36-year-long import ban on Salman Rushdie’s controversial novel, “The Satanic Verses.” The court’s ruling, delivered on November 5, 2024, effectively nullifies the ban imposed by the Rajiv Gandhi government in 1988, which had prohibited the book’s import into India due to its alleged blasphemous content. The case was brought before the court by petitioner Sandipan Khan, who argued that he was unable to import the book due to a notification issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs on October 5, 1988. However, during the proceedings, it was revealed that the notification could not be traced, and no official records of it were available.

 

Justice Rekha Palli, heading the bench, stated that in the absence of the notification, the court had no option but to presume that it did not exist. Consequently, the court declared the petition challenging the ban as infructuous and allowed the import of the book. “The Satanic Verses,” published in 1988, has been a source of global controversy, particularly among Muslim communities, due to its perceived blasphemous content. The book’s publication led to violent protests and book burnings worldwide, including in India. The ban in India was initially imposed to maintain law and order, following widespread demonstrations.

 

Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses, published in 1988, is a complex and controversial novel that intertwines themes of identity, religion, and the immigrant experience. The narrative follows two Indian Muslim protagonists, Gibreel Farishta and Saladin Chamcha, who survive a plane crash and find themselves transformed—Gibreel into an angelic figure and Saladin into a demonic one. This transformation sets the stage for a series of events that explore the nature of faith, the clash of cultures, and the fluidity of identity.

 

Upon its release, The Satanic Verses ignited a firestorm of controversy. Many Muslims viewed Rushdie’s interpretations as blasphemous, leading to widespread protests and calls for censorship. The situation escalated dramatically when Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa in 1989 calling for Rushdie’s assassination. This edict resulted in violence against those associated with the book, including attacks on translators and publishers. Despite—or perhaps because of—this controversy, The Satanic Verses has been recognized for its literary merit. It won several awards, including the Whitbread Award for Novel of the Year in 1988. Critics have praised its stylistic virtuosity and thematic depth, cementing its place in postcolonial literature studies.

 

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Then in 1994, 100 Arab and Muslim writers collaborated on the book ‘For Rushdie’: Essays in Defense of Free Speech, a powerful collection that underscores the enduring importance of free speech. 35 years later, in India, these Arab and Muslim intellectuals are vindicated. Edited with precision and purpose, the volume is a poignant response to the infamous controversy surrounding Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses and the violent backlash it elicited, including the fatwa issued by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989. This collection brings together the voices of Arab and Muslim writers who defend not only Rushdie’s right to write but also the broader principle of intellectual freedom that transcends individual cases.

 

At its core, For Rushdie is a reflection on a defining moment in modern literary and political history. The fatwa against Rushdie was not merely a condemnation of a book but a direct assault on the freedom of expression and the ability of artists to challenge, provoke, and explore complex themes without fear of violent reprisal. This anthology situates itself within this historical moment to assert that the right to free speech is a universal value, not constrained by cultural or religious boundaries.

 

The contributors—writers, poets, and intellectuals from diverse Arab and Muslim backgrounds—share a commitment to defending free speech while grappling with the cultural sensitivities and political realities that surround their stance. Their essays collectively dismantle the perception that Islam is inherently opposed to intellectual freedom, offering a nuanced understanding of the rich tradition of debate and dissent within Islamic thought.

 

A central theme of the book is the universality of free expression as a fundamental human right. The contributors argue that intellectual freedom is not a Western imposition but a value deeply rooted in the human experience. They highlight how censorship, when justified under the guise of religious or cultural sensitivity, often serves authoritarian regimes and power structures rather than protecting the faithful. In one striking essay, its writer draws parallels between The Satanic Verses controversy and other historical moments where writers faced persecution, emphasizing that literature’s role is to question, not conform. This perspective challenges the idea that criticism or satire of religion is inherently blasphemous or deserving of suppression.

 

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The anthology does not shy away from the complexities of defending Rushdie’s work. Several contributors acknowledge that The Satanic Verses is a provocative and polarizing text, one that deeply offended many Muslims. However, they argue that offence is not a valid justification for silencing dissenting voices. By engaging with the novel’s themes and Rushdie’s intent, these essays advocate for dialogue over violence and for intellectual engagement over dogmatic condemnation.

 

Another significant aspect of the book is its focus on internal critique within Arab and Muslim societies. The contributors emphasize that the defence of free speech is not an endorsement of anti-Muslim sentiment or the misnomer Islamophobia. Instead, it is a call for self-reflection and reform, urging communities to embrace a pluralistic and open approach to knowledge and debate. By doing so, the writers resist both the external stereotyping of Islam as inherently repressive and the internal pressures to conform to rigid interpretations of faith.

 

The contributors repeatedly underscore the responsibility of writers and intellectuals to defend freedom of expression. Literature, they argue, is a space where the complexities of identity, belief, and society can be explored without fear. In defending Rushdie, these writers are not merely supporting an individual but reaffirming the role of art and literature as catalysts for progress and change.

 

The global reaction to Salman Rushdie’s near-fatal stabbing in 2022 underscores the enduring risks faced by those who dare to challenge societal norms. This tragic event reinvigorates the urgency of defending free speech, as the essays in For Rushdie so eloquently do. The collection serves as a reminder that the struggle for intellectual freedom is not confined to any one era or geography—it is a continuous battle that requires vigilance and courage.

The columnist is a Fellow of the Foundation for Indian Historical and Cultural Research (FIHCR)