CHICAGO (IslamOnline) – Indian Muslims expressed their outrage and disgust over the Indian government's granting of a visa to novelist Salman Rushdie.
Rushdie is best known in the Muslim world as being the author of the Satanic Verses, which many took to be blasphemous. Late Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini said that Rushdie, born a Muslim, deserved to die because of the book. A private Iranian organization offered a price for his head.
The Indian government has apparently given the visa for him to attend the Commonwealth Writer's Prize ceremony to be held on April 14 in New Delhi.
The All India Muslim Forum, in a statement, said that the ruling party was playing with fire. ''The BJP's main aim is to hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslims. The BJP wants electoral gains by vitiating the communal atmosphere in the country,” the statement said.
AIMUF President Saleem Ahmed appealed to all secular leaders and the Iranian ambassador, whose country has nothing to do with the issue, to request the Indian government to cancel Rushdie's visa. He also urged the Muslims to protest against Rushdies' visit.
Muslims see the right-wing BJP government as instigating communal riots by offending the sentiments of the Muslims. Last month it allowed another controversial novelist, Taslima Nasreen, to visit the country. That visit, however, passed without any incident, and it is not known if the Rushdie visit will spark any demonstrations.
