Question mark over Rushdie video chat

Uncertainty looms over Salman Rushdies video address at the Jaipur Literature Festival.

Uncertainty looms over Salman Rushdies video address at the Jaipur Literature Festival. Organisers today announced a video conference on Tuesday,but the government said they had no information,and that prior permission would be needed.

It (the video link) is on for now,but we are talking to the government, an organiser said. The issue was discussed with Muslim groups,who were invited for the video conference.

Rajasthan Home Secretary G S Sandhu said: The Satanic Verses is banned,and the organisers have to take permission. Senior officials added that while they had no problems,the organisers would be held culpable if Rushdie made inflammatory remarks or read from The Satanic Verses.

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Salim Engineer of the Jamait-e-Islami Hind said they were fine with the idea in principle,as long as Rushdie makes no inflammatory remarks.

At least four complaints have been filed in Jaipur courts against the four authors who read out an article containing passages from The Satanic Verses and one of the organisers,Sanjoy Roy.

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