The Jaipur Literature Festival organisers today said a video session by controversial write Salman Rushdie could take place on certain conditions. reports suggests Rushdie will be allowed video conference he promises he won't speak about The Satanic Verses.
The organisers had reportedly given a written assurance to the authorities that Rushdie would not talk about the controversial book.
On Monday, home secretary GS Sandhu said, “We have asked for details of what would be discussed in the video conference. Though permission is not required for video-conferencing, we will take a final view on Tuesday,” he told HT.
The government warned if Rushdie would read from his banned book The Satanic Verses or if a law and order problem would surface, cases would be filed against the organisers.
The Rushdie session —Midnight’s Child — is planned for 3.45pm. The author will discuss his childhood, his work, and the adaptation of his novel, Midnight’s Children, into a film.
It is not clear if he will take questions. “We have had sessions in the past without the question-answer session — that is the author’s prerogative,” festival producer Sanjoy Roy said.
The police, Roy told mediapersons late in the evening, had asked for session details.
{{/usCountry}}The police, Roy told mediapersons late in the evening, had asked for session details.
{{/usCountry}}National secretary of the Jamaat-i-Islami Hind, Mohammed Salim Engineer, who was at the festival Monday, said the group would have protested Rushdie's visit and didn't rule out a protest against the video session.
“We have the right to protest. All sections and all ideologies should be allowed to express themselves,” he said.
with HT inputs.