Salman Rushdie criticizes Narendra Modi and warns of rising Hindu nationalism

Author Salman Rushdie has sparked significant debate following an interview on the PBS program ‘Firing Line with Margaret Hoover’, where he offered a critical assessment of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Regarding the 2002 Gujarat violence, Rushdie stated he believes Modi was “partly responsible” for some of the violence and noted that the Prime Minister has “a very brutal side.” While he declined to use the term “war criminal,” he expressed deep concern regarding the erosion of free speech in India, specifically citing attacks on journalists, intellectuals, and professors.

Rushdie also criticized the current administration for what he described as efforts to rewrite Indian history to promote a polarizing narrative. Furthermore, he warned against the global expansion of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Hindu nationalism, noting its growing influence in the United States. Despite these concerns, he expressed hope in Indian women and youth to reclaim a secular India.