AICC distances from P Chidambaram’s comment; Natwar Singh, Mani Shankar Aiyar differ

NEW DELHI: The AICC distanced itself from senior Congress leader P Chidambaram’s comment that the Rajiv Gandhi regime’s “ban” on The Satanic Verses was wrong. The AICC said the book had never been banned in India and only its import was stopped. Estranged Congress leader K Natwar Singh, who was a minister in the Rajiv Gandhi cabinet, and Mani Shankar Aiyar, who was then in the PMO, also differed with Chidambaram’s view.

Some other Congress leaders pointed out that the decision on the book was based on inputs from the home ministry when Chidambaram was the minister in charge of internal security. AICC spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala in a four-point response to ET said: “Firstly, the Rajiv Gandhi regime had never banned the book but only banned its import due to apprehension that it could trigger social unrest. Yet, reading or possession of that book in India was never treated as a crime by the then government.

“Secondly, it is a matter of record that the India publisher of the book, Penguin India, had decided not to print the book in India after it’s then consulting editor (late) Khushwant Singh told the publisher that publication of the book would result in social unrest.” Surjewala further said, “Thirdly, since 28 years ago, the then government took a decision considering the then prevailing circumstances, it is not proper on the part of us (Congress) to comment on it given we were party to that decision. Would the BJP and Modi government, or Sangh Parivar at large now want a debate on the past decision of then Home Minister Sardar Patel banning RSS, saying its activities created communal poison in the society and led to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi”

Indirectly indicating that Chidambaram’s view can only be his personal opinion, Surjewala said, “In the same function, FM Arun Jaitley came out in support of gay rights by urging the apex court to review its ruling on Section 377. So, should we consider that as an individual leader’s view or that of the entire BJP and Sangh Parivar?” Natwar Singh said, “The decision to ban the import of the book was taken only after due deliberations between then PM and many ministers, including me…Mind you, Ayatollah Khomeini decided to ban the book and announce the death sentence to Rushdie after watching on TV the protests in J&K against the book.” Aiyar said, “The Muslim community was feeling restless, especially since the book’s publication coincided with the build-up of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.”