In brief
A 36-year ban was recently overturned by Delhi’s high court because the necessary documentation could not be found. The ban, initially imposed in 1988 due to concerns of blasphemy among orthodox Muslims, was issued by India's Ministry of Finance. Without any records of the original order available, the court had no choice but to declare it invalid.
In a noteworthy statement reflecting on this peculiar decision, Mr. Rushdie expressed disbelief that a finance ministry should dictate literary choices for the public. His book faced a ban just a week after its release in Britain due to fears of public unrest. Following intense controversy, including an Iranian fatwa against the author, the lifting of the ban is seen as a significant cultural shift.The court's ruling emphasized that since the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs could not provide evidence of the initial notification, the validity of the ban could not be assessed. As a result, the narrative surrounding “The Satanic Verses”—often marked by protests and violence—enters a new chapter with India's recent re-evaluation of literary censorship.
