Scores of anti-Rushdie protestors wounded in Kashmir

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

Srinagar, June 22 (UNI) Scores of people, protesting against the award of a British Knighthood to India-born author Salman Rushdie, were wounded as police used batons and teargas to disperse them near Kashmir's historic grand mosque here today.

Hundreds of angry protestors gathered near the historic Jamia Masjid at Nowhatta soon after Friday prayers and started shouting slogans against Rushdie and the British government.

Chanting ''Death to Rushdie...Hang Rushdie...Kill Rushdie...

Rushdie is Enemy of Islam...Down With Queen Elizabeth and British Government'', the protestors urged Britain to withdraw the honour.

The demonstration soon turned violent with protesters pelting stones on the police personnel who used batons and fired teargas shells to disperse them.

Scores of protesters were wounded in the police action.

The entire Nowhatta area was filled with smoke when journalists reached there to cover the protests.

A peaceful protest march was also taken out from Haji mosque to Lal Chowk soon after the Friday prayers. The protestors denounced Rushdie, Britain's Queen Elizabeth and her government for the act.

The Kashmir valley today observed a shutdown on a call given by the Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen militant outfit against the award.

Rushdie was awarded the knighthood for services to literature in Queen Elizabeth's birthday honours list published on Saturday.

Several religious, separatist and militant organisations have condemned in strongest terms the knighthood to Rushdie, saying the award was an ''insult'' to Islam and a ''source of hurt'' for Muslims. Rushdie's 1988 novel ''The Satanic Verses'' had outraged Muslims around the world.

UNI

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