Damn these people can hold a grudge.

(Telegraph) — Sir Salman Rushdie was prevented from speaking to the Jaipur literature festival audience by video link today after a Muslim mob infiltrated the venue, the police warned of violence and the organisers received death threats.

He had previously been forced to delay plans to appear at the Indian literary festival after India’s leading Islamic Seminary called for protests over his 1988 novel, The Satanic Verses. He later cancelled them after organisers were told of intelligence reports that Sir Salman would be assassinated if he travelled to Jaipur.

Earlier on Tuesday a fallback plan for him to be interviewed from a remote location by video link was abandoned after the police warned of violent clashes inside and outside the venue if the event went ahead.

The government has been heavily criticised for failing to offer the same protection to Sir Salman that they provided to the American chat show host Oprah Winfrey when she appeared at the festival last weekend. Congress party ministers have been accused of cynically manipulating the situation to win Muslim votes in a key state election.

Eyewitnesses at the Jaipur venue said the atmosphere became intimidating shortly before Sir Salman was due to be interviewed earlier today by one of India’s top news presenters.

Despite heavy police security, including bar code passes and metal detectors, a group of around 50 Muslims moved into the audience and forced those waiting to watch the session, including women and children, to give up their seats.