JAIPUR: Best-selling Indian writer Chetan Bhagat on Saturday criticised the support lent to authors whose books are banned for offending religious communities, a day after Salman Rushdie cancelled a trip to India citing threats against his life.
Bhagat, whose five novels have sold around 6 million copies, condemned the banning of texts at the Jaipur Literature Festival but criticised people who proclaim their writers as heroes for upholding the right to free speech.
"(Banned books) have hurt people, they have hurt Muslims," said Bhagat. "I don't think anyone should be banned... but let's not make heroes out of them."
Rushdie said on Friday that he was abandoning his visit to the five-day festival due to assassination threats against him, following protests by some Indian Muslim groups at the invitation to the author of The Satanic Verses.
Organisers of the festival said in a statement late on Friday that they would not tolerate any legal violations at the event after two authors read passages from The Satanic Verses, which is banned in India, in support of Rushdie.
"Any comments made by the delegates reflect their personal, individual views and are not endorsed by the festival, or attributable to its organizers," they wrote in the statement.
Bhagat, whose best-selling novels such as 2005's One Night @ the Call Centre have divided literary critics, has risen in prominence over the past year as an outspoken supporter of the movement headed by anti-corruption campaigner Anna Hazare.
"Everyone has a right to hurt, but people don't have to," Bhagat added.
Oprah Winfrey, Michael Ondaatje and Ariel Dorfman will speak to over 70,000 visitors at the event, which aims to showcase the best of Indian, South Asian and international writing in one of the world's fastest-growing publishing markets.
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Chetan Bhagat! Who?
@ ali tanoli please send links, i will be very greatful.
@whoever: Bhagat writes stories on call centers and BPOs, which while entertaining can't be called literature by any yardstick. Whatever Rushdie's ideology, you can't deny that he is an intellectual stalwart -- Midnight's Children is a literary masterpiece. Comparing Rushdie and Bhagat is like comparing a Monet to a velvet Elvis.
@Kamran,&vikram Please visit some christan and american priest specialy jerry and billy graham if u get time. u gonna forget Zakir Naik sahab or Ball tahkrey sahab.and i was talking about books and writers in the world they educated peoples and that also librals and seculars how trash they talked shame shame..
@Ali Tanoli: " ... freedom of speech to just to hurt muslims this is a trend these days in the world. ... "
I suggest you go to MEMRITV.ORG and see how Muslims demonize non-Muslims on live tv. It is ok, if as a Muslim you speak trash about non-Muslims behind closed doors or in private surroundings - but when done on public tv, you signal intent.
Ali tanoli read my comment please, u will get the answer.
Zakir Naek is offensive to Christians and hurts their feelings. Most of his work are insulting and blasphemous to Christian religious thought. If he is banned, wouldn't free speech be hurt; comments please.
@Ali Tanoli: freedom of speech to just to hurt muslims this is a trend these days in the world.
Let's spare ourselves this nonsense and stop deluding ourselves. Organizations like Hizb ut-Tahrir and many others get more protection in the west than they do in muslim countries, even though they preach jihad against non-muslims. Muslim Brotherhood leaders found refuge in UK when they were banned in Egypt while they still peddled their anti-Western ideology. We can deny it all we want in Pakistan, but the fact is that fundamental rights and equality have more meaning elsewhere. We can't build an equitable society so long as we keep lying to ourselves.
no wonder he is "best selling".look at the man's diplomatic skills! ;p
Mr.Bhagat , an engineer by qualification , a banker by profession is really jealous of Mr. Salman . Mr. Bhagat writes novels which are full of fantastic stories can't even go out of borders . Only some aimless youths have made him so popular . In fact Mr. Bhagat has no level to share a same stage with Mr.Rushdie . Mr. Bhagat , go to Germany and say the same thing against Hitler who is even hatred through out world , then you will see the consequence . Mr.Bhagat , go to china and say aginst Mr.Mao , go to some latin american countries and speak against their communist leaders , you will find the solution . Mr.Bhagat , a person is a hero , who goes against society to condemn or change the bad things in society .
freedom of speech to just to hurt muslims this is a trend these days in the world.
@Deb: Except that "Mills and Boon" are not authored by one person. As for the rest of your argument, the jury is still out.
I thought Mills and Boon still sales more than Chetan Bhagats. And he sums up with this gem of wisdom “Everyone has a right to hurt, but people don’t have to,” Bhagat added. What exactly that means? Have your right,but do not exercise it, keep in the attic; I suppose. What an inane comment to make.