Police complaint against 4 authors who opt out of Lit Fest

The Salman Rushdie row refused to die down today with a police complaint being filed against the four authors who read out portions from the controversial author's banned book 'Satanic Verses' at the Jaipur Literature Festival.

The four authors, Hari Kunzru, Amitava Kumar, Jeet Thayil and Rushir Joshi, who struck a defiant note by reading from the banned book on Friday after Rushdie called off his visit citing death threats, opted out of the five-day meet.

The festival organisers, who had issued a strong statement distancing themselves from the actions of the four authors, today dismissed reports which said the writers have been forced to leave.

"They were not asked to leave," festival organiser Namita Gokhale clarified. "We received a complaint which is being examined. It is a complaint and no FIR has been lodged so far," said A Mohammad, SHO of Ashok Nagar police station. The complainant Ashok Kumar has demanded action against the authors.

While crowdpuller TV mogul Oprah Winfrey was addressing a session, high drama was witnessed in a separate wing with publisher S Anand lashing out at the organisers for not supporting Rushdie and the four authors.

To emphasise his point, Anand quoted from Rushdie "What kind of idea are you" which led to applause from the audience. He said, "We have been discussing about books....there are other writers and authors like Salman Rudhie. There is Oprah and whatever happens there is no excuse to say this controversy should shut down our voices."

Gokhale intervened to say, "It was hurtful of Anand who has been coming here for many years to suggest that we have asked the four authors to leave.