Some Important Comments

Dr. Sushil Kumar Srivastava, a Professor of History at Allahabad University, shared a similar sentiment: “Islam is not a weak religion. Countless books like ‘The Satanic Verses’ cannot shake it.” (Akhbar e Nau, 17-23 March 1989) Islam possesses a rich and glorious history spanning over a thousand years, which has endowed it with such steadfastness that neither individuals nor large groups can inflict even the slightest damage to it through their writings. This perspective was echoed by Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, who remarked: “Great religions should be strong enough to withstand such criticisms as presented in the book.” (The Guardian, London, March 4, 1989) Benazir Bhutto, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, expressed her confusion regarding the benefit Muslims would derive from prolonging the issue. She emphasized that repeating the words of blasphemy is as grave a sin as committing it oneself. Bhutto believed that the fundamentalists who publicized Rushdie’s novel and its objectionable content were committing the same crime as Rushdie himself.