Muslim groups demand action against authors
PTI | 03:01 PM,Jan 21,2012Jaipur, Jan 21 (PTI) Condemning the authors for reading from Salman Rushdie's banned book "Satanic Verses" at the Jaipur Literature Festival, Muslim groups today said they were planning to file a police complaint against the writers and the event organisers and demanded action against them. However, the groups said that no protests are planned for now. "It is certainly condemnable act and we are planning to lodge complaint with local police station. We have consulted with lawyers and are collecting evidence to go ahead with our plan," Abdul Latif, state secretary of All India Milli council, said. Mohammad Salim, National Secretary of Jamat-e-Islami Hind said, such action may "provoke people". "Reading from a banned book is an offence. We last night spoke to police officers and said that such violation may provoke people. "It is responsibility of police, administration and organisers to ensure that no such things happen in the event but it is unfortunate that the banned book was read," he said, adding, "action must be taken against those who did it". Muzzaffar Bharti of Muslim Ekta Manch also echoed the demand and said that such acts will not be tolerated. "It seems it was done knowingly. When the matter of Rushdie's visit was settled, why did the authors read from the banned book? We cannot expect the scholars to do such things. It is police who have to ensure that our feelings are not hurt," Bharti said. When contacted, a senior police officer of Jaipur police commissionerate said that they have not received any formal complaint and the matter was being examined. After Rushdie had to pull out of the event over security concerns, Hari Kunzru and Amitava Kumar, as a mark of protest, used their session at the festival to read from "Satanic Verses", which was banned in the country shortly after it was published in 1988, for allegedly hurting the sentiments of Muslims. Later, authors Jeet Thayil and Ruchir Joshi also read from the Satanic Verses.
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