Fri Nov 08 07:54:42 UTC 2024: ## India Lifts Three-Decade Ban on Salman Rushdie’s “The Satanic Verses”
**New Delhi, India** – A landmark ruling by the Delhi High Court has lifted a long-standing ban on Salman Rushdie’s controversial novel “The Satanic Verses,” which had been prohibited in India for over three decades. The court’s decision came after authorities failed to produce any official documentation supporting the ban, which was imposed in 1988.
The case was initiated in 2019 by reader Sandipan Khan, who was unable to find any evidence of the ban on government websites despite being told by bookstores that the book was not permitted in India. Khan’s search for official proof led him to file a legal challenge, ultimately resulting in the court’s ruling.
The court’s order, issued on Tuesday, stated that the government’s claim that the notification banning the book was “untraceable” left them with no option but to assume the ban never existed. Even the customs official allegedly responsible for issuing the ban was unable to produce a copy of the document.
“The Satanic Verses,” published in 1988, sparked international controversy due to its portrayal of Prophet Muhammad, which some Muslims considered blasphemous. The book was banned in several countries, including Rushdie’s native India, and led to violent protests and death threats against the author.
The ban in India was imposed by then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in an attempt to garner Muslim support ahead of elections. However, the court’s decision now allows the book to be freely available in the country, marking a significant victory for freedom of expression.
First Piper 