India, May 21 -- Renowned novelist and New York University professor Salman Rushdie has strongly criticised US campus protesters advocating for a free Palestine. In a candid discussion on the Orte und Worte ("Places and Words") podcast hosted by German broadcaster Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, Rushdie expressed concerns about the political leanings of progressive student movements.

A video clip of Rushdie's comments was shared widely on social media, including by the official X account for Israel and Israeli diplomat David Saranga.

Rushdie, who has long supported the idea of a Palestinian state, explained his current apprehensions. "I've argued for a Palestinian state for most of my life - since the 1980s, probably," he said. "Right now,...