LET ME congratulate Namita Gokhale and her team of devoted men of letters on the worldwide interest that the Jaipur Literary Festival has generated. And rightly so. Travelling from 2006 as an unknown festival of a few literary friends to 2012 when it is a world class festival and the only one of its class in Asia, it is a story of literary success par excellence.

Literature reflects society. It is good that the organisers have given representation to local dialects, Sufi and Bhakti writings, including rustic poetry to the most ancient language, Sanskrit.

On the minus side of this international festival where Winfrey will be regaling the young and old alike is the controversy created by a handful dogmatic fellows about the presence and participation of Salman Rushdie. The writer of Satanic Verses is an accomplished writer of the English prose. His books like the Midnight Children and the Satanic Verses have won international acclaim. He got the Booker Prize too. He needs nothing more to be recognised, appreciated and invited to the international literary meet at Jaipur. Only a handful of ill-informed clerics have thrown a red herring.

The Congress party has steered clear of controversy when it is  facing the electorate in as many  as five States of the Union. However, the Congress Chief Minister of Rajasthan, the host state of the literary meet, has developed cold feet and urged Rushdie not to come to Jaipur at this point of time. Indeed he seems a chicken-hearted fellow who cannot handle difficult situations. His officials need training in crowd control. The first level politicians need a briefing from leaders of the United Kingdom who provided protection to Salman Rushdie from the deadly threats of fundamentalists of Iran and Pakistan but Congress party has protected communalists.

Let Salman Rushdie come to Jaipur and enjoy the Rajasthan sunshine. Let him give pearls of wisdom in the art of writing English prose to the new generation. Beat the sinister plan of fundamentalists and observe the Raj Dharam of providing protection in India to one and all, who seek asylum or visit us as guests.

Some ignorant clerics cry from house tops pleading for denial or cancellation of visa to Rushdie. May I have the privilege of enlightening them with the rule position and say that Salman Rushdie, being an NRI, does not need an entry visa. He may come and go as he pleases. Let the cowards in the administration cultivate courage and follow the age-old tradition of welcoming guests and providing them protection.