Salman Rushdie’s grave fears for Indian democracy published in PEN anthology

Indian Independence day on 15 August outside the Jama Masjid mosque in New Delhi. Photograph: Anindito Mukherjee/Getty Images

Salman Rushdie signed a letter expressing “grave concerns about the rapidly worsening situation for human rights in India” and contributed a short piece to a collection about India at 75 before he was stabbed on stage at an event in New York.

The writer was one of 102 signatories to the PEN America letter to Droupadi Murmu, who has served as India’s president since July. The letter, dated 14 August, was sent to coincide with the 75th anniversary on 15 August of India’s independence from British rule.