Cancelled my Kolkata trip after threat from Mamata: Salman Rushdie

A A

PTI: Kolkata, Feb 01 2013, 14:00 IST

Author Salman Rushdie on Friday alleged that he was forced to cancel his trip to Kolkata after being threatened that he would be bundled out on the first flight by the police on the orders of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The 65-year-old author issued a one page statement before flying out of the country. He also tweeted the Kolkata police had made his visit to the city "impossible" and accused it of leaking his programme to the press and Muslim leaders "clearly inciting protests".

"... The day before I was due to travel to Kolkata we were informed that the Kolkata police would refuse to allow me to enter the city. If I flew there, I was told, I would be put on the next plane back. I was also told that this was at the request of the Chief Minister," Rushdie said in the statement.

Rushdie was to take part in the Kolkata Lit Meet as a surprise guest on January 30 to promote the movie adaptation of his novel 'Midnight's Children' but the organisers later denied inviting the author.

"Let me be clear. I was indeed planning to take part in a session at the Kolkata Lit Meet along with the scheduled speakers Deepa Mehta, Rahul Bose, and Ruchir Joshi. The organizers were fully aware of this, and had asked me to appear as a "surprise guest". If they now deny this, that is dishonest. They actually paid for my plane ticket," Rushdie further said.

In his tweet, the Booker

... contd.

Ads by Google

Single Page Format

1 | 2 | Next

All condemn Firm Didi’s soft responseBSF refuses to comment on civilian ‘killings’Publicity Hoarse

Previous Story General Motors launches Sail sedan at Rs 4.99-7.51 lakh Next Story Indians rank Australia as No.1 nation for safety, friendliness, food and wine

Reader's Comments (6)| Post a Comment

Mullah Mamata - the new Nawab of Bengal

bg tilak | 13-Feb-2013Reply | Forward

You all don't know it - but Mamata recently changed religious allegiance to that community which will fetch her the most votes. Mamata is now to be known Mullah Mamata among her most favored constituency and their likes and dislikes take precedence over the rule of law and the constitution. Ban Rushdie, Reservations for Muslims in govt jobs, Urdu made second language for Bengal, do not arrest or investigate muslim gangsters if involved in any crime, allow free migration of Bangladeshi's..and the list will go on and on.. Mullah Mamata is now proclaimed to be the new Nawab of Bengal..

Mamta and her odd ways

Kolsat | 01-Feb-2013Reply | Forward

Every since she bacame CM of West Bengal Mamta has become a tyrant and has shown a very thin skin. She has flouted free speech right of ordinary citizen. She has had arrested a cartoonist,and has harassed anyone who dared to criticize her. I believe she has forgotten that she is really a servant of the people and not their queen. The sooner she remembers this the better. If she does not then at the next election Bengalis should throw her the door and get a more tolerant CM>

INDIAN LEADERS

N.ASTI | 01-Feb-2013Reply | Forward

indian politicians(Not worth to be called leaders),especially from Majority community would auction not only their property,but also their family including themselves for getting/remaining in power.As soon as they get some chair by bad-luck of the public,they start becoming communal as pro-minority.The intelligent minority has recognized these duffer politicians,some corrupt Media-Houses and foolish Indians at large who endorse communalism as Indian secularism.And Minority enjoy fooling these first-class fools of 20th century.