Contact the Citizen
Text CIT and your news tips, photos and video to 80360 Click here for other ways to contact us »
No-one turns up for Rushdie protest
11:11am Monday 23rd July 2007
Comments (21)A PROTEST against novelist Sir Salman Rushdie's recent knighthood proved to be a wash-out.
A march had been planned in Blackburn by Tasaddiq Rehman, spokesman for local group the Muslim Council of Europe, on Saturday afternoon.
But nobody turned up at the meeting point of Bangor Street Community Centre, nor at the town hall where a demonstration was planned.
It appears that not even the organiser himself had attended, despite telling the Lancashire Telegraph that he expected high levels of interest in the march.
The British government's decision to appoint Sir Salman a Knight Bachelor for "services to literature" last month sparked controversy and fury among Muslims worldwide.
The British-born novelist has been a hate figure in Islam ever since a fatwa - or religious edict - calling for his assassination was issued in 1989, in response to his book The Satanic Verses which was deemed to insult Islam.
Sir Salman denied the charge but spent 10 years in hiding.
Salim Mulla, secretary of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, said: "I hadn't heard of this march, but I don't really support marches like this because I think some of the messages they give out can do damage to relationships between Muslim and indigenous communities.
"I know there is strong feeling across the Muslim community that Mr Rushdie should not have received the knighthood, and people should speak up, but there are other ways of expressing your views.
"I wrote to Jack Straw on behalf of the council to tell him we feel Mr Rushdie shouldn't have been given the knighthood because of the animosity he has caused in the Muslim community."
Mr Rehman was unavailable for comment.
Your Say YourBlackburn Citizen
Aisha, Blackburn says...
1:49pm Mon 23 Jul 07
nobody turned up at the meeting point of Bangor Street Community Centre, nor at the town hall where a demonstration was planned.
advertisementIt appears that not even the organiser himself had attended, despite telling the Lancashire Telegraph that he expected high levels of interest in the march
This march was cancelled over a week ago as the majority of the muslim community decided there was no need for it, and that the 'organiser' did not hold the community's interests at heart. The fact that he couldnt be bothered to let the LET know beforehand shows what an idiot he is, but im glad word got around the community and no-one turned up.
jules holland, blackburn says...
1:50pm Mon 23 Jul 07
Aisha, Blackburn says...
1:57pm Mon 23 Jul 07
jules holland wrote:The book in question was highly blasphemous to christians aswell and they did not approve of it. Clearly you havn't read it. Where exactly should they 'clear off' to?
Good old Mr Rushdie. I reaaly admire you for writing your book. Yes, you were born in England and have a freedom of speech. If anyone doesnt like it then clear off out of England. You are now a knight in shining armour. Well done.
Idiot.
Gareth heyes, Blackburn says...
2:17pm Mon 23 Jul 07
carole, blackburn says...
2:26pm Mon 23 Jul 07
Asin, Blackburn says...
4:11pm Mon 23 Jul 07
Billy Bunter, Blackburn says...
6:08pm Mon 23 Jul 07
Maybe the two communities in Blackburn aren't on such different planets after all.
I stand corrected Aisha!
jake, blackburn says...
7:16pm Mon 23 Jul 07
jake moore, blackburn says...
7:18pm Mon 23 Jul 07
Blakey, burn says...
10:02pm Mon 23 Jul 07
Aisha wrote:why do you assume everyone has to have a religion! i find lord of the rings more believable! at least dwarves and elves exist, but prophets haha what next santa? eskimos?
jules holland wrote: Good old Mr Rushdie. I reaaly admire you for writing your book. Yes, you were born in England and have a freedom of speech. If anyone doesnt like it then clear off out of England. You are now a knight in shining armour. Well done.The book in question was highly blasphemous to christians aswell and they did not approve of it. Clearly you havn't read it. Where exactly should they 'clear off' to? Idiot.
Average Joe, Higher Croft says...
10:24pm Mon 23 Jul 07
Aisha wrote:I agree with you Aisha, well said indeed!
jules holland wrote: Good old Mr Rushdie. I reaaly admire you for writing your book. Yes, you were born in England and have a freedom of speech. If anyone doesnt like it then clear off out of England. You are now a knight in shining armour. Well done.The book in question was highly blasphemous to christians aswell and they did not approve of it. Clearly you havn't read it. Where exactly should they 'clear off' to? Idiot.
What is this country coming to? A person gets knighted for offending millions if not billions of people and not only in this country but around the world and he gets rocognition for it, Christ???
What if Rushdie wrote a book upsetting Jews, Christians, Buddists or even gays... would he get mentioned positively let alone getting knighted? I think not!
It's a shame that Rushdie's fourth wife (a hindu)has recently left him! He's not really so successful where it really matters as a role model where he's own family is regularly abandoning him!
Sad state of affairs if this is what this once great nation is reduced to in terms of a prized author!
MR GILITWALA, Blackburn says...
12:01am Tue 24 Jul 07
YOU TAKE ALOT OF INTEREST IN MUSLIM AFFAIRS...WELL LET ME CORRECT YOU..IT IS NOT THAT US MUSLIM FOLK ARE WORRIED THE LEAST BY SATAN RUSHDIES KNIGHTHOOD..FAR MORE ATROCITIES HAVE & ARE BEEN CARRIED OUT AGAINST THE MUSLIMS OF THE WORLD..RUSHDIES KNIGHTHOOD COINCIDED WITH BLAIRS OUTGOING..A SLAP IN THE FACE FOR THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY WORLDWIDE..A STARK REMINDER OF BUSH'S STRATEGY 'YOUR WITH US OR WITHOUT US'
LETS NOT LET THIS GET TO US..THIS ANIMAL MAY BE CALLED SIR BY WHOEVER..BUT ONE THING IS FOR 100% SURE..NOT ONE MUSLIM PERSON IN THE ENTIRE WORLD WILL ADDRESS THIS CLOWN BY HIS GIVEN NAME..
WE SHOULD QUESTION THE HIERARCHY WHO HONOURED HIM..WHAT HAS THIS CLOWN DONE TO DESERVE A PRESTIGIOUS HONOUR SUCH AS AN MBE? MY GRANDFATHER FOUGHT IN THE 2ND WORLD WAR,LIKEWISE THOUSANDS OF BRITISH FOLK,THEY PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR THE HONOUR OF THE QUEEN,COUNTRY & FOR LIBERATING PEOPLE WHO WERE BEING OPPRESSED..WHAT DID THEY GET? NOTHING..THE HIERARCHY SHOULD REWARD THE RIGHTFUL FOLK WHO DESERVE THIS GREAT HONOUR..IT SEEMS LIKE BLOOD IS CHEAPER THAN WATER....WRITE TO THE MPS & IF IT MATTERS THE QUEEN & OUTLINE OUR DISGUST AS A COMMUNITY AS WHOLE IN THIS DISGUSTING ACT TAHT HAS CAUSED OUTRAGE FROM EAST TO WEST....
l homayon-jones, blackburn says...
4:45pm Tue 24 Jul 07
jonny christian, blackburn says...
5:12pm Tue 24 Jul 07
dipsy, says...
1:31pm Wed 25 Jul 07
jules holland wrote:Well Jules, let me correct you because obviously you are too thick to research a topic before talking ****. Rushdie was not born in England, he was born in India. Now why don't you tell him to **** off from where he came from? I don't think you will because you all have something against Muslims. Rushdie is a Hindu for your information. Get your facts right before you talk rubbish.
Good old Mr Rushdie. I reaaly admire you for writing your book. Yes, you were born in England and have a freedom of speech. If anyone doesnt like it then clear off out of England. You are now a knight in shining armour. Well done.
julie poolie, blackburn says...
8:17pm Wed 25 Jul 07
sid, derby says...
10:54am Sat 28 Jul 07
jonnj monk, blackburn says...
1:33pm Sat 28 Jul 07
janye horrkey, blackburn says...
1:35pm Sat 28 Jul 07
dipsy, blackburn says...
1:37pm Sat 28 Jul 07
In this section
- Blackburn town centre building works blamed for bus service cuts
- Blackburn churchman preaches from Trafalgar Square plinth
- East Lancashire star Diana Vickers lands West End role
- Man charged after armed raid at Blackburn jewellers
- Council bosses accused of 'killing' Blackburn festivals
- Blackburn teen needs emergency op for brain tumour
- Backyards flooded by sewage in Lower Darwen
- Hyndburn MP backs down after 10p tax rebellion pledge
- An inspiring idea for Darwen youngsters
Sponsored Links
Local advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Bill, Burnley says...
12:20pm Mon 23 Jul 07