Sena justifies Bukhari’s fatwa against Rushdie visit

Goyal said he saw no difference between Rushdie and noted artist M F Hussain who had painted the Hindu goddess of learning Saraswati in the nude and subsequently apologised.

When pointed out that Rushdie too had apologised and Iran had withdrawn the `fatwa’ issued by its late spiritual leader AyatollahKhomeini, Goyal said, “but what is the point in allowing him when Muslims are opposing his visit.”

He alleged that Rushdie had lampooned Balasaheb Thackeray in one of his books. “Moreover, if Rushdie can be allowed, why not Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen,” Goyal asked.

Nasreen has been under attack from Muslim fundamentalists in her country over her novel Lajja (shame) which depicts the plight of Hindus in the aftermath of the Babri demolition.

Naib Imam of Delhi Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari had yesterday objected to the Government’s decision to grant visa to Rushdie.

Earlier in London, Jaswant Singh has said the Government will provide security cover to Rushdie.

“I do not apprehend any widespread protest (against Rushdie’s visit),” Singh said, adding, that Rushdie’s visa was referred to him and it was only coincidental that he was granted the visa when he (Jaswant) was in London.

“We took a policy decision that he has a right to travel to India as anyone else. Besides, he isan author of great distinction and repute and he is of Indian origin,” Singh said.

“I do not think there is any kind of animosity towards an individual in India as is apprehended here. Personally, I do not see why there should be any animosity simply because of the views that person holds,” Singh said.

Rushdie, who has been under threat of death for the past 10 years for allegedly blaspheming Islam in his controversial novel, was issued with a visa on Wednesday to visit India.

Singh is the first high-ranking minister to visit Britain on the invitation of his counterpart, Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, after the May nuclear tests last year.

Joining issue, BJP too criticised Bukhari for objecting to the Vajpayee Government’s decision to grant visa to Rushdie. Though Rushdie’s book is banned in India, BJP welcomed the granting of visa to the author, saying that as an Indian he had a right to visit this country. The party criticised the decision of the previous governments for banning the book sayingthat “without reading a page of the book.”

Meanwhile, the Loktantrik Congress party (LCP), a major coalition partner in the Uttar Pradesh government, today demanded cancellation of visa granted to the Rushdie, claiming that his visit to the country would “foment communal tension”. LCP general secretary Siraj Mehandi told newspersons here that the previous Central governments had not allowed Rushdie to visit India, apprehending communal tension. Rushdie was granted a five-year multiple visa on Wednesday for the first time after his controversial book was banned in 1989.