Oprah Praises Anupam Kher's Book In Lit Fest

t the Jaipur Lit Fest, upon receiving a copy of Anupam Kher's book, The Best Thing About You Is You, Oprah Winfrey had some wonderful things to say about it and signed her comments on paper for him.

Salman Rushdie could be targeted by SIMI

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday sounded an alert about a plan by a leader of the outlawed fundamentalist outfit Students Islamic Movement of India to target Salman Rushdie if the controversial author goes ahead with his plan to attend the Jaipur Literature Festival.

The alert, addressed to government of Rajasthan and authorities in Delhi -- Rushdie's likely disembarkation point in case he chooses to defy the threats -- also underlined the plan of Mumbai-based Raza Academy to humiliate the celebrated author. According to the home ministry, Saeed Noorie, general secretary of the Academy, has announced a "reward" of Rs 1 lakh to anyone who hurls a slipper at Rushdie.

Home ministry claimed that SIMI leader Saquib Nachan, who is one of the accused in the 2003 Mulund blast case in Mumbai, was "exploring the option of targeting Rushdie during his visit". Nachan, a familiar figure for counter-terror agencies, has been on bail since January 2011.

Salman Rushdie visit row: Govt rules out ban

Government has ruled out barring Salman Rushdie from visiting India in the wake of a demand by a top Islamic seminary to cancel his visa even as the controversial author said he does not need a visa to come to this country.

Official sources said 65-year-old Rushdie holds a Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card which entitles him to visit this country without a visa.

The sources said since PIO card guarantees any such person hassle-free travel without any document, Rushdie is not required to apply to any authority of the government of India seeking permission for his proposed visit to attend the Jaipur Literature Festival this month end.

"He had travelled to India in the past using PIO card. We have never stopped him. We have no intention to stop any PIO card holder to travel his or her home country in future either," a source said.

Rushdie remained unfazed over the demand by Darul Uloom Deoband to block his planned trip to India and suggested it was misplaced.

"Regarding my Indian visit, for the record, I don't need a visa," posted Rushdie on microblogging site Twitter after Deoband demanded that the Indian government cancel the author's visa as he had hurt religious sentiments of Muslims in the past.Indian-origin Rushdie also has a British passport.

"Why should Congress stop this(Rushdie trip)?," Union law minister Salman Khurshid asked.

"If there is a legal provision to stop someone then it should be put. But whatever step is taken should be taken within legal framework not outside it," he said.

Vice Chancellor of Darul Uloom Maulana Abul Qasim Nomani said on Monday that the "Indian government should cancel his visa as Rushdie had annoyed the religious sentiments of Muslims in the past."

Political parties reacted to the Deoband demand amid some finger pointing.

BJP's Nirmala Seetharaman alleged there is a "very big game" behind the visa row and accused the Congress of being behind it.

Samajwadi Party's Shahid Siddiqui said the Government's approach exposed its "double standards" on the issue of giving travel documents to Rushdie and the late painter MF Husain.

Rushdie had earned the wrath of Muslims worldwide due to the alleged blasphemous content in his novel "The Satanic Verses" which was published in 1988.

The novel, which was banned by India, had sparked outrage in the Muslim world, including a fatwa against him by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader of Iran, on February 14, 1989.