Rushdie Knighthood Protests Erupt; Queen Called "Old Crone"

Following the knighthood received by author Salman Rushdie in the United Kingdom, many demonstrations have taken place throughout the Muslim countries, while Islamic newspapers and various politicians have criticized the decision and those involved in making it.

According to Britain's Daily Mail newspaper, a rally was held by Muslims in London on Friday to condemn the knighthood, and protests have occurred in Pakistan as well. The Reuters news agency reported that a demonstration against the knighthood took place outside the British embassy to Malaysia. All businesses were closed and transportation came to a halt in some parts of Kashmir in protest against the decision, and demonstrations were held there as well, according to the News Agency of Kashmir. The news agency also reported that few workers came to government offices, and book sellers in one city removed all Rushdie books from their shelves. It quoted a book seller as saying that "very few" Kashmiri people read them.

The Sunday Times of South Africa carried an AFP news story reporting that an Iranian newspaper referred to the United Kingdom's Queen as an "old British crone" and Rushdie's life as "pathetic." A letter to Bangladesh's New Nation from a student in Germany derided the decision, saying that Rushdie "vehemently" criticized Islamic beliefs in his book "Satanic Verses", and calling the knighthood "unwise and unhealthy." According to the Islamic Republic News Agency of Iran, a conservative member of the U.K. parliament called Rushdie's books "rubbish" and said he was undeserving of the knighthood.

Some politicians in Muslim countries have made strong statements regarding the knighthood as well. According to Pakistan's Post Chronicle, the speaker of a provincial assembly referred to Salman Rushdie as a "blasphemer", and a federal Religious Affairs minister predicted that the knighthood would lead to suicide bombings. The above-mentioned Daily Mail news story indicated that a prominent cleric in Iran said a death warrant (fatwa) issued for Rushdie in 1989 is "still alive."

According to Wikipedia.org, Rushdie's 4th novel, "The Satanic Verses" provoked death threats and violent protests in many countries, causing him to spend years in hiding. Wikipedia also indicates that he is an atheist, although he was raised as a Muslim after being born in India. He has also written several other books, the most recent published in 2005. Other book subjects of his have included India, Pakistan, Nicaragua, and rock music.

Sources:

1. Daily Mail, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=463552&in_page_id=1811
2. Post Chronicle, http://www.postchronicle.com/news/breakingnews/article_21287878.shtml
3. New Nation, http://nation.ittefaq.com/artman/publish/article_36976.shtml
4. Islamic Republic News Agency, http://www2.irna.com/en/news/view/menu-239/0706214849144706.htm
5. Sunday Times, http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=496495
6. Reuters, http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSISL13183620070620
7. News Agency of Kashmir, http://naknews.co.in/newsdet.aspx?q=8678
8. Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salman_Rushdie