'Sir' Rushdie angers Kashmir cleric

HONOURED AND HOUNDED: Iran's former supreme leader issued a fatwa against Rushdie in 1989.

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New Delhi: A leading cleric in Kashmir has asked Muslims to boycott writer Salman Rushdie and burn his books after Britain honoured the controversial author with a knighthood.

“His books, which are available here, must be burnt and all Muslims, whether they live in India, USA or Britain, must not have any contact with him,” said Mufti Bashiruddin in Srinagar.

In Chennai, a group called the All India Forum of Muslim Journalists on Wednesday gave a memorandum to the British Deputy High Commission and demanded that the British government withdraw the knighthood.

Indian-born Rushdie was in 1989 accused of blasphemy by Iran’s former supreme leader for his book The Satanic Verses. The knighthood drew sharp reactions from the Iraqi and Pakistani governments, which summoned the British envoys in their countries and complained.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said British High Commissioner Robert Brinkley had been called in. "He was told that Salman Rushdie has been a controversial figure who is known less for his literary contribution and more for his offensive and insulting writing which deeply hurts the sentiments of Muslims all over the world," she said.

Iran's Foreign Ministry had similar words for Britain's ambassador to Tehran Geoffrey Adams. "This insulting, suspicious and improper act by the British government is an obvious example of fighting against Islam," Ebrahim Rahimpour, Foreign Ministry director for Western Europe, told Adams, the official IRNA news agency said.

Britain has deplored a statement by Pakistan's religious affairs minister that honouring Rushdie justified suicide attacks. Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri too has said Britain should not be surprised if there are violent reactions.

In Malaysia, Members of Islamic party protested in front of the British High Commission. The party activists shouted ''Crush Salman Rushdie'' and ''Damn Britain'' as police stood watch during the one-hour peaceful demonstration outside the British diplomatic mission in Kuala Lumpur.

(With AP and Reuters)