After two weeks of silence, India finally responds to the attack on Salman Rushdie. India condemned and wished the controversial writer a speedy recovery. Salman Rushdie is termed as one of the great defenders of freedom of speech and creative expression.
While attack on Rushdie caused a global outrage, India has remained utterly silent until today.
India Responds
In response to queries during a weekly briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi stated, “We condemn the awful attack on Salman Rushdie and we wish him a speed recovery.” Furthermore, he said India has always opposed extremism and violence.
Govt's first formal reaction to attack on writer Salman Rushdie: India has always stood against violence and extremism. We condemn the attack and wish Mr. Rushdie a speedy recovery: MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi. pic.twitter.com/HyM3d1JpTk
— Suhasini Haidar (@suhasinih) August 25, 2022
Salman Rushdie Attack
Salman Rushdie the author of The Satanic Verses was severely injured in an attack in New York, where a 24-year-old man rushed towards him while he was on stage to give a talk about ‘United States, a safe haven for exiled writers.’
Mr. Rushdie was stabbed in the neck and abdomen by the attacker. Reportedly the attacker was straining to stop despite the attempts from few individuals on stage. Mr. Rushdie was immediately taken on a helicopter for medical care.
Banning Salman Rushdie Novel
According to The Indian Express, India was one of the first nations to ban his novel, The Satanic Verses, when Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issued a fatwa in 1989 demanding for his death after its release.
ALSO READ: Salman Rushdie: From ‘The Satanic Verses’ to Attack in New York
