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Rushdie gets Indian visa

Amberish Diwanji in New Delhi

Salman Rushdie will visit India soon. The Indian high commission in London today confirmed that it had, on February 3, 1999, issued Rushdie a visa to visit the country of his birth. Rushdie's lawyer, Vijay Shankardas, collected the visa from the high commission.

The BBC quoted Shankardas as saying that Rushdie was pleased with the decision, and reported that the author, who has British citizenship, could visit India within two or three months.

The external affairs ministry said the move to grant Rushdie a visa was a conscious decision by the government. It may be recalled that a few months ago, Home Minister L K Advani had stated that Rushdie was welcome to visit India and the government had no hesitation in granting him a visa.

Rushdie is still in hiding after his book, The Satanic Verses, provoked outrage among Muslims.

India was the first country to ban the book in 1988 after a few people were killed when protest marches led by Muslim leaders like Syed Shahbuddin and the Delhi Jama Masjid Imam Abdullah Bukhari turned violent. The protests spread to Pakistan, which too banned the book.

The situation took a turn for the worse when Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa ten years ago, on February 14, 1989, asking for Rushdie's head. Iran offered $ 1million to any person who killed Rushdie. After that, the author spent his life in hiding.

In 1996, Rushdie's book The Moor's Last Sigh was also withdrawn from Indian bookshelves within weeks of its release, following a directive from the Indian customs. The 'ban' on the book was later withdrawn.

Last September, the Iranian government officially lifted the fatwa and cancelled the prize money for killing Rushdie. But with private groups vowing to carry out the Ayatollah's orders, Rushdie continues to remain in hiding.

A British citizen, Rushdie had last October lamented that after his book was banned and the fatwa placed on him, his greatest loss was his inability to visit India. Indian governments in the past, from Rajiv Gandhi's regime which first banned the book down have refused to allow Rushdie to set foot in India, fearing violent protests from certain Muslim sections.

That a visit by Rushdie will be mired in controversy became apparent after the Jama Masjid's Naib Imam, Ahmed Bukhari, declared that he would appeal to all Muslims in India, especially the youth, to prevent Rushdie from visiting India and to not let him get out of the airport.

"The government's move is political, aimed at hurting the feelings of the Muslims in India and appeasing their supporters," said the Naib Imam.

"Do they really expect that Muslims here will not react to a visit by Rushdie, who has hurt the feelings of Muslims worldwide by casting aspersions on Islam, the Koran and the Prophet? The government is deliberately seeking a clash with the Muslims," he said.

Bukhari said he had no objection to a private visit by Rushdie. "India is open to all persons, regardless of belief. It is a secular and democratic country where the sentiments of all must be respected, including those of Muslims. Hence, we are opposed to the government giving him security or welcoming him. The government must stay away completely," he said.

Asked how Rushdie could travel without a security cover, he replied, "If tomorrow I insult Ramchandra, and then seek protection from Hindus, will the government give it? Similarly, it must not provide Rushdie with any security cover."

Author Khushwant Singh -- who recommended that Penguin not publish The Satanic Verses, in India -- said the government's move has gladdened him. "Rushdie owns property here and he must be allowed to visit his homeland," he said.

The author of Train to Pakistan, however, warned that strict security would be needed. "Since Rushdie has been given a visa, he will certainly utilise it. And he will require protection, which is the government's job," Singh said.

He agreed that the government would come under pressure from certain quarters to cancel the visa or to prevent Rushdie from visiting India, but he doubted if the government would buckle under. "The protests won't matter, but the question of protection will," he said.

The threat to Rushdie certainly cannot be underestimated. It is believed the British government has spent over 10 million pounds on Rushdie's security so far. This includes 24 hours of police protection and the constant shifting of residence. The book's Japanese translator was killed, and the Italian translator and Norwegian publisher injured in attacks. Penguin, which published the book, has reportedly received 5,000 threatening letters and 25 bomb threats.

Syed Shahabuddin, the editor of Muslim India who was in the forefront to have The Satanic Verses banned, has refused to comment on the decision of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance government to issue Rushdie a visa.

"I have nothing to say," he replied curtly when contacted. Asked if he would protest against the government's decision, he replied angrily, "Giving the visa is up to the government. No has to ask my approval for it," and slammed down the telephone.

Additional inputs: UNI

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