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India Lifts Ban on "The Satanic Verses"
India lifts its three-decade ban on Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses" after the government fails to produce the original ban order.
English
United States
Human Rights ViolationsMiddle EastControversyFreedom Of SpeechReligionCourt RulingBook Ban
Delhi High CourtIndia's Interior And Finance MinistriesIndian GovernmentCustoms Department
Salman RushdieSandipan KhanUddyam MukherjeeAyatollah Ruhollah KhomeiniProphet Muhammad
- When and why was the book initially banned in India?
- The book was banned in 1988 after some Muslims considered it blasphemous; the ban was challenged in court in 2019, leading to the recent ruling. The lack of official documentation ultimately led to the lifting of the ban.
- Who challenged the import ban, and what prompted this action?
- The petitioner, Sandipan Khan, initiated the legal challenge after encountering difficulties in obtaining the book in India. He discovered the government couldn't locate the official import ban order.
- What significant event occurred in 2022 relating to Salman Rushdie?
- In 2022, Rushdie was attacked during a lecture in New York, an event occurring decades after the initial publication of his controversial novel. The attack highlighted the ongoing consequences of the book's contentious content.
- Why was the ban on Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses" in India lifted?
- India's 30-year ban on Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses" has been lifted because the government couldn't find the original ban notification. The Delhi High Court ruled that without proof of the ban, it was considered non-existent.
- What was the international reaction to the publication of "The Satanic Verses"?
- The controversy surrounding "The Satanic Verses" started soon after its 1988 publication. Passages perceived as blasphemous by some Muslims sparked violent protests worldwide and even led to a fatwa calling for Rushdie's assassination.