In brief
In an unexpected ruling, Delhi's High Court has lifted the 36-year-old ban on "The Satanic Verses," as the government's original notification banning the book has gone missing. Salman Rushdie's novel faced immediate backlash upon its release in the late 1980s, but the court's recent decision reflects a significant change in circumstances.
On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court concluded that the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs could not produce the original order from October 5, 1988, which prohibited the book's importation. The ruling emphasized that the absence of this crucial document necessitated the lifting of the ban. The ban was initially imposed due to fears that certain segments of the public would deem the novel blasphemous. This bureaucratic move was surprising to Rushdie himself, who questioned the role of the finance ministry in determining literature accessible to Indian readers. As the cultural and political landscapes evolve, the court's decision symbolizes a shift towards re-evaluating restrictions that have long affected literary freedom in India.
