Salman Rushdie's novel “The Satanic Verses” had not been sold in India, the author's country of birth, for 36 years, until this week.
The novel, which forced the Indian-born author into hiding after its publication in 1988, went on sale at Baherisons bookstore in New Delhi, and the news was warmly received by members of India's publishing community. According to the BBC and The Guardian, the book's resurgence in India came after the Delhi High Court ruled that its ban may be invalid because the authorities seeking to retain it were unable to provide relevant notification of the original ban imposed by the government. Although importing the book appears illegal, publishing it is not, and the ruling has clearly empowered local publishing companies to act. This situation has puzzled Indian legal experts, as there is no precedent on which they can act.
The controversial novel, which won the Booker Prize, is inspired by an episode in the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The Indian government moved to ban it after riots and anger by Islamist groups, as a global debate rages over freedom of expression versus religious sensitivity. Shortly after the novel's publication, Iranian leader Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa to Rushdie regarding its content. Rushdie went into hiding because many people associated with the publication were targeted for violence, with a Japanese translator killed and 37 people dying in an arson attack in Türkiye. Rushdie himself was attacked on stage at an event in upstate New York in 2022 after coming out of hiding. He lost an eye after being stabbed by a man who was arrested on charges of attempted second-degree murder and separate domestic terrorism charges. This year, Rushdie published his memoirs about his experience entitled: The Knife: Reflections After Attempted Murder.
This week, people in Bahrain posted on social media saying that The Satanic Verses was in stock, and The Guardian quoted a bookseller source as saying that sales were “very good” and that it was “sold out.” Several posters who appear to be based in India responded to X Library asking how to order copies.
Manasi Subramaniam, editor-in-chief of Penguin Random House India, published a line from the book in which Rushdie wrote: “Language is courage: the ability to conceive an idea, to speak it, and in so doing to make it come true.” She added: “And finally. Salman Rushdie's novel The Satanic Verses is allowed to be sold in India after a 36-year ban.
Local media reported that several Islamic groups issued statements opposing his release.
Rushdie was born in India, but spent most of his life in the United Kingdom and now resides in New York. We have reached out to Rushdie's agent for comment.
