Salman Rushdie prevented from addressing India literary festival

(CBS/AP) JAIPUR, India - Salman Rushdie won't be able to address guests at the Jaipur Literary Festival in his native India after all.

The organizers of the festival, which ends today, have canceled a video conference with the 64-year-old British-Indian author after getting protests and threats.

Sanjoy Roy said Tuesday they decided to cancel the video address to avoid violence by Muslim activists gathered at the Jaipur Literary Festival.

Rushdie had originally planned to attend the festival in person despite opposition from some Muslims who consider his 1988 book "The Satanic Verses" blasphemous.

Rushdie said he called off his trip after police sources told him of a possible assassination threat. He planned to address the festival by video conference instead.

Roy said the organizers had been threatened with violence if they went ahead with the video link.

Rushdie lived in hiding for several years after the Ayatollah Khomeini, then leader of Iran, issued a fatwa in 1989 calling for Rushdie's execution. According to the BBC, he has made several trips to India since then and was at the 2007 Jaipur Literary Festival.