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Rushdie’s ‘The Satanic Verses' returns to India, reactions pour in
The lifting of the ban on the book written by the Indian-British novelist follows a Delhi High Court ruling in November.
The lifting of the restriction follows a November ruling by the Delhi High Court, which deemed the ban void, citing the government’s failure to produce the original notification imposing it. / Wikipedia, X/@bahrisons_books
Nearly 36 years after its controversial import ban, Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses is now legally available for sale in India. The lifting of the restriction follows a November ruling by the Delhi High Court, which deemed the ban void, citing the government’s failure to produce the original notification imposing it.
The move has triggered a wave of reactions, reigniting the polarizing debate over freedom of expression and religious sentiments.
The literary world has largely welcomed the decision as a victory for free speech. Mansi Subramaniam, editor-in-chief of Penguin India, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her excitement, quoting Rushdie himself:
“‘Language is courage: the ability to conceive a thought, to speak it, and by doing so to make it true.’
Author and journalist Aseem Chhabra shared his personal connection to the novel’s fraught history, tweeting:
“Back in 1989, I smuggled a copy from New York to India—changed the dust jacket and carried it in the checked-in bag—so my mother could read it. Finally #TheSatanicVerses is legally available in India. Big congratulations to @SalmanRushdie!”
Bahrisons, a prominent bookseller in New Delhi, also announced the book’s availability, describing it as a “literary triumph” and posting a photo of the novel on its shelves.
Some voices in the media highlighted the controversy surrounding the book’s original ban and the risks of reintroducing it. Journalist Rahul Shivshankar of Network 18 remarked on the boldness of booksellers like Bahrisons in promoting the novel:
“Leading bookseller @Bahrisons_books tempts fate by boldly displaying Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses, almost four decades after Muslim radicals issued a fatwa declaring its sale blasphemous. The Congress government of the day capitulated and banned its sale in India. Rushdie, who lived in hiding for decades, was nearly stabbed to death a few years ago. The book’s Japanese translator Hitori Igarashi was assassinated.”
Some readers expressed relief. One user on X humorously wrote: “I got it ‘smuggled’ into India from Canada through a friend a couple of years back. Now I can flaunt it by having it on my drawing room shelves instead of hiding it somewhere in my bookshelf almirah.”
However, not everyone is celebrating the book’s return. Several Muslim organizations and leaders have expressed outrage, calling for the ban to be reinstated.
Maulana Kaab Rashidi of the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind argued, “Religious sentiments cannot be hurt under the garb of freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution.”
Similarly, Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi of the All India Muslim Jamaat criticized the decision, stating, “This book insults Islam, Prophet Muhammad, and Islamic figures. Allowing its sale will disturb the nation’s harmony.” He urged the government to act swiftly to reimpose the restriction.
Maulana Yasub Abbas, general secretary of the All India Shia Personal Law Board, also raised concerns: “The book mocks Islamic views and threatens the country’s harmony. The prime minister must intervene to prevent further unrest.”
The reintroduction of The Satanic Verses has reignited the debate over free expression and the limits of artistic freedom. While some view the court’s ruling as a step forward for intellectual liberty, others argue that it risks alienating communities and disturbing social harmony.
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