Article Added On: December 28, 2004 - over 3 years ago
Title: Author Rushdie Angry After Sikh Play Scrapped
Publication: Reuters/metronews.ca
Publication Date: January 01, 2004 - over 4 years ago
Faith Groups: Sikh
Themes: religion and violence

Abstract: British author Salman Rushdie, who went into hiding for years after Iran's leader ordered him killed, assailed Britain on Sunday for allowing angry Sikh groups to force the cancellation of a Sikh play last week.

December 27, 2004 1:57:39 PM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - British author Salman Rushdie, who went into hiding for years after Iran's leader ordered him killed, assailed Britain on Sunday for allowing angry Sikh groups to force the cancellation of a Sikh play last week.

A theater in Birmingham canceled the play "Behzti" (Dishonor) after angry Sikh demonstrators turned violent on Dec. 18. They were protesting against the play, which depicts sex abuse in a Sikh temple.

The play's author, Gupreet Kaur Bhatti, herself a Sikh, has gone into hiding after receiving death threats.

Many have drawn a parallel with Indian-born novelist Rushdie, 57, who was declared a blasphemer and ordered killed for his novel "The Satanic Verses" by Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989.

"It is pretty terrible to hear government ministers expressing approval of the ban and failing to condemn the violence, when they should be supporting freedom of expression," Rushdie told The Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

"If being upset is the only requirement to banning something, there will be nothing on in the theaters."

Britain is home to hundreds of thousands of practitioners of the Sikh faith from the Indian subcontinent.

Bhatti's play has been described as a black comedy depicting murder and rape within the Sikh community.

After it was canceled, she said: "Perhaps those who are affronted by the menace of dialogue and discussion need to be offended."

Reuters/VNU

Original article