Salman Rushdie’s controversial novel The Satanic Verses has returned to India 36 years after it was banned by the Rajiv Gandhi government. The book, which sparked global outrage for its alleged blasphemous content, is now being sold at Bahrisons Booksellers across Delhi-NCR for Rs 1,999.

The book’s availability marks a significant moment in India’s literary and free speech history. Rajni Malhotra, owner of Bahrisons Booksellers, revealed that the response has been overwhelmingly positive since the book arrived. However, other major bookstores, such as Midland Book Shop and Om Book Shop, have no plans to stock it.

The reappearance of the book in India comes after the Delhi High Court, in November, declared the 1988 ban on its import void, as government authorities failed to produce the official notification justifying the prohibition. The court ruled that the absence of such documentation rendered the case “infructuous.”

First published in 1988, The Satanic Verses has been at the center of intense controversy. Iranian leader Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for Rushdie’s death, forcing the author into hiding for nearly a decade. The book’s Japanese translator, Hitoshi Igarashi, was killed in 1991, and in August 2022, Rushdie was attacked during a lecture in New York, leaving him blind in one eye.

Readers in India have expressed mixed reactions to the book’s price. While some, like tech entrepreneur Bala Sundaresan, find the Rs 1,999 price tag too high, others, such as literature student Rashmi Chatterjee, view the book as a landmark against censorship and an essential part of literary history.

This development underscores ongoing debates over free expression, faith, and the role of literature in challenging societal norms. The book’s return also highlights the resilience of art in the face of censorship and global controversy, reaffirming its place in India’s literary landscape.