Salman Rushdie’s 'The Satanic Verses' Returns to Indian Bookstores After 36 Years

The controversial novel is being sold again after a Delhi High Court ruling declared the original ban legally unenforceable.

Salman Rushdie’s 1988 novel 'The Satanic Verses,' banned in India for 36 years, is now available for purchase in select bookstores like Bahrisons in New Delhi.
The Delhi High Court ruled the ban unenforceable after officials failed to locate the original notification banning the book’s import.
The book’s reappearance has seen limited public protests, attributed by some to changing attitudes and generational shifts within the Muslim community in India.
Islamic groups and leaders, including Maulana Yasub Abbas and Raza Academy, have called for a renewed ban, citing concerns over religious sentiments and societal peace.
Despite the book’s controversial history, including a global fatwa and violent incidents, its availability remains limited, with high import costs and no new Indian edition announced by its publisher.