Click to play videoJaipur: Author Salman Rushdie has accused the Rajasthan government of making up the assassination theory, just so he would stay away from the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival. The state however has hit back saying the decision to not come was taken by Rushdie alone and it was the government's duty to inform him about any possible threat.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has countered Rushdie saying that there was adequate security for Rushdie and the there was a threat perception and there is no harm in informing him about the threat.
The organisers were concerned about guaranteeing safety, and did not want the situation to get worse of the four writers who protested by reading from the ‘Satanic Verses’, three have left the fest.
Festival Producer Sanjoy Roy said, “They had a file of intelligence which was shared with us.”
Writer and MP Shashi Tharoor said, “I myself have read pieces from ‘Satanic Verses’ in Columbia University at the height of troubles but I have not been writing about things they are objecting to.”
Even renowned speaker and guru Deepak Chopra empathises with Rushdie.
Though one of the best-selling writer Chetan Bhagat begs to differ and says, "If u write something that offends people, it hurts and there is no need to make that a heroic thing that hey I have done something great for freedom of speech. I have managed to hurt people, that’s not very sensitive."
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