ENI — Church groups in Pakistan and India have condemned Britain's decision to honour author Salman Rushdie with a knighthood, and claimed it risks inflaming hatred against Christians in their countries.
“The British government should have been more sensitive to the feelings of the Muslims. This is a very bad decision,” said Victor Azariah, general secretary of the National Council of Churches in Pakistan, with four Protestant churches. “Such insensitive decisions will only worsen the anti-Christian feelings in the Muslim world.”
Indian-born Rushdie angered Muslims in many parts of the world with his 1988 book, The Satanic Verses, which is named after 10 controversial verses in the Koran. Rushdie was accused of insulting Islam, and had to go into hiding after Iran's late spiritual leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, issued a religious edict, or fatwa, declaring a death sentence against the author.
More than 30 Christians have been shot and killed in Pakistan following the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan to oust the Taliban regime then in control.
In India, the National Council of Churches has stated that Britain should have exercised “restraint” in honouring Rushdie.
