After a 36-year hiatus, Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses has made its grand return to India, and it’s creating quite the stir. For those who missed the drama, this book was banned in 1988 by the Rajiv Gandhi government following protests from outraged Muslim groups who deemed it blasphemous. Rushdie’s creation has been described as “a work of art” by some, but a “fiery pit of controversy” by others. No surprise there—it was a little too much for people back in the day
Now, after years of legal wrangling, the book is back in a very limited stock at Bahrisons Booksellers in Delhi. Rajni Malhotra, the owner, says the response has been “very good so far,” meaning a few lucky customers have managed to snap up copies for the cool price of Rs 1,999. But before you rush over to get your hands on one, you should know it’s exclusively available at Bahrisons—so don’t expect to stroll into just any bookstore and find it. Other shops like Midland Book Shop and Om Book Shop aren’t too keen on importing it just yet. Apparently, they don’t want to be caught in the crossfire of yet another book-burning frenzy.
The story behind the return is almost as dramatic as the book itself. The book ran into trouble shortly after its publication, eventually leading to Iranian leader Ruhollah Khomeini issuing a fatwa calling on Muslims to kill Rushdie and his publishers. Rushdie spent nearly 10 years in hiding in the UK and the US. In July 1991, the novelist’s Japanese translator, Hitoshi Igarashi, was killed in his office.
On August 12, 2022, Lebanese-American Hadi Matar stabbed Rushdie on stage at a lecture, leaving him blind in one eye. In November 2023, the Delhi High Court stepped in, ruling that the government had never produced the official notification banning the book. As a result, they decided the ban was “null and void,” which essentially gave Rushdie’s controversial work the legal green light to re-enter the country. Of course, that didn’t stop certain people from voicing their concerns. Maulana Kaab Rashidi, for instance, was quick to remind us that selling a book like this was blasphemous and was a violation of the Constitution. So, it’s safe to say that the book’s return isn’t exactly a universally loved and appreciated event.
But no matter what you think about the book or its messy history, you’ve got to admit: The Satanic Verses knows how to make an entrance. It’s been banned, burned, debated, and now, it’s back in the game. Who knew a book could have such a complicated affair with India? Maybe it’s time we all can collectively agree that sometimes, controversial art is here to stay—whether we like it or not!
