On Friday, the Supreme Court refused to entertain a lawsuit looking for a directive that would ban the controversial novel Salman Rushdie, Satan’s verses, which effectively enabled the book to remain legally available in India.
The application was heard in front of the bench containing Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, and was filed by chand Queshi.
Why was the request filed?
The petitioners argued that a novel that has long been the subject of international controversy should be banned in India because of its allegedly blazing content. The consultant of the petitioner quoted an order of the High Court in Delhi 2024 to support the action.
However, the High Court had previously concluded a call for the decision of the Rajiv Gandhi government of 1988 to ban the import of the book. At that time he remarked:
“Since the authorities could not submit the relevant notifications, it should be assumed that it does not exist.”
How did the Supreme Court react?
The bench of the top courts noted that the request was effectively a challenge for the former judgment of the Delhi High Court. When the petition was rejected, the bench remarked:
“You effectively question the judgment of the High Court in Delhi.”
With this decision, the Supreme Court indicated that there was no new legal barrier to the availability of a book in the country.
What are the Satanic verses and what was the controversy?
The Satanic verses published in 1988 is a novel that wins the Booker of the British Indian author Salman Rushdie. The book has triggered an extensive controversy between Muslim communities around the world that considered certain passages of blasphemous and offensive Islam.
The willing will included protests, book bans, and even the life of Rushdie’s life, including Fatwa published by the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini. In India, the center initially banned the import of the book due to the law and the order, reflecting the intense sensitivity surrounding its content.
What is the historical context?
In 1988, the center banned the import of the novel by the winning novel Rushdie’s Booker, which gained concerns.
Nevertheless, the calls for the prohibition have reappeared over the years in Indian courts, reflecting the ongoing debates on the freedom of expression versus religious sensitivity.
(Tagstotranslate) Supreme Court (T) Salman Rushdie (T) Satanic verses
