Salman Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses has been banned in India for over three decades, but a recent court ruling has cast doubt on the continuation of this ban. The ban, which was imposed shortly after the novel’s 1988 release due to its alleged blasphemy, has faced a new challenge.
A New Delhi court recently ruled that the government had failed to produce the official notification for the ban, leading the judges to conclude that no such notification exists. As a result, the court stated that there is currently no legal barrier preventing the importation of the book into India.
The case was brought forward by Sandipan Khan, who argued that the ban had made it impossible for him to purchase the book. He had spent over a year trying to obtain the official notification of the ban, reaching out to various authorities and searching government websites, but could not find any record of the order.
In light of this, Khan’s lawyer, Uddyam Mukherjee, said the court’s ruling suggests that the book could now be legally imported into India. However, it remains uncertain whether bookstores in the country will begin selling it, as that would depend on decisions made by publishers and retailers.
While some bookstores in New Delhi were unaware of the court ruling, others expressed uncertainty about whether the book would soon be available on their shelves. One employee from Jain Book Agency mentioned that even if the ruling leads to the book’s importation, it could take time before it is actually stocked in stores.
India’s Court Ruling Casts Doubt on 30-Year Ban of Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses
Khan’s lawyer further explained that while the ruling opens the door for the book’s availability, any aggrieved party could still appeal the decision, which could delay its widespread distribution.
Penguin Random House India, Rushdie’s publisher, acknowledged the court’s decision, calling it a significant development. The publisher stated that it was still considering the next steps, but no further actions had been announced yet.
Rushdie, who holds dual citizenship in the United Kingdom and the United States, has not made a public comment on the ruling. His agent declined to respond to media inquiries, and Rushdie has not posted publicly on his social media accounts since September.
This court decision adds another twist to Rushdie’s complex history with India. Although born in India in 1947, he had moved to the UK by the time of his first major novel, Midnight’s Children, which caused controversy due to its portrayal of Indian politics.
The ban on The Satanic Verses was followed by the infamous fatwa issued by Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989, which called for Rushdie’s death. Though the fatwa was formally rescinded in 1998, Rushdie’s life was further disrupted when he was attacked in 2022. Despite the challenges, Rushdie continues to write, with his memoir Knife being a finalist for the National Book Award this year.
