Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses: Available 36 Years after Islamist attacks, Rajiv Gandhi’s Ban

After nearly 37 years of controversial and unwarranted ban in India, Salman Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses is now available in India. The iconic book which triggered a global outrage among the radical section of the Muslim community, is now available at Delhi’s renowned Bahrisons Booksellers in Khan Market. The store announced the arrival on social media, calling it a “groundbreaking and provocative novel” that has sparked “debates on free expression, faith, and art.”

“The Satanic Verses is now in stock at Bahrisons Booksellers!” read their post on X (formerly Twitter). “This groundbreaking and provocative novel has captivated readers for decades with its imaginative storytelling and bold themes. It has also been at the center of intense global controversy since its release.”

This development comes a month-and-a-half after the Delhi High Court noted that there was no record of an official notification banning the book. The court’s observation came after government authorities failed to produce the notification prohibiting its import on October 5, 1988. The original ban was imposed by the Rajiv Gandhi government that aimed to pander to the Islamist elements to appease them, especially in the wake of Hindu resurgence following the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. The Rajiv Gandhi govt defended the controversial move citing concerns over Muslim sentiments and potential law-and-order issues.

A troubled legacy of The Satanic Verses

Published in 1988, The Satanic Verses was met with fierce opposition from certain Muslim groups worldwide, who deemed its content blasphemous. The outrage led to protests, bans, and the tyrannical regime in Iran led by Ayatollah Khomeini went on to issue not just a fatwa against Salman Rushdie for writing the novel but also calling for Rushdie’s assassination.

The bloodcurdling and abhorrent Fatwa (Islamic decree) had violent repercussions. In August 2022, Rushdie suffered an Islamist attack and he was stabbed by Hadi Matar, a Lebanese-American, who later justified his actions by saying Rushdie had “attacked Islam.” 

In India, the Rajiv Gandhi government’s decision to ban the book in 1988 was seen by many as a move to appease Muslim sentiments while managing the rising Ayodhya temple movement. Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, who was then the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, later admitted, “The decision to ban the book was wrong. I maintain the same view that I said in 2015.”

Another Congress leader, Shashi Tharoor, welcomed the book’s return, saying, “This is a welcome development. I had opposed the original ban, but the argument made at the time was concern about law and order. Thirty-five years later, that risk is minimal. Indians should have the right to read all of Rushdie’s works and judge their content for themselves.”

A Silent Return

Unlike the uproar in 1988, the book’s return has been marked by silence from the political class. Sandipan Khan, a Kolkata-based petitioner whose plea to lift the ban led to the recent court observation, said, “I tried to get a copy but could not. It is good news if the book is now available at stores.”

Bahrisons Booksellers received their consignment from a US distributor last Saturday. A bookstore executive, speaking anonymously, explained how they sourced the book: “Technically, we have not even imported it. We simply placed the order with the distributors, and they supplied it to us. The shipment has to pass through Customs, which was cleared. If there was a ban, the shipment wouldn’t have come.”

At the bookstore, curious readers flocked to get a glimpse of the much-hyped novel. A salesperson said, “Yeh banned tha, kahin bhi nahin milti thi. Ab ban hat gaya hai (This was a banned book; it couldn’t be bought anywhere. Now the ban is lifted).”

Another customer, surprised to see the book, exclaimed, “Oh, this is that book which was basically banned for the longest time!”

Price and Reception

The book is currently available at Bahrisons for Rs 1,999, a steep price for some readers. “There is a certain duty to be paid and the airfare as well,” explained an official at the bookstore.

“But this is a win of tolerance over intolerance. “Despite the cost, all copies in stock have already been sold, sparking hope that the book might soon become available in other cities and stores. “If the book is available at Bahrisons, maybe it will now become available in other cities and stores,” said Khan.

As readers rediscover the novel, the return of The Satanic Verses marks a significant moment for free expression in India. Whether it sparks new debates or simply finds its place on bookshelves, it’s a reminder of literature’s enduring power to provoke and inspire.