"First, the government should say why he was not allowed. Then only we can say if it was right or wrong. The state government should come out clean on this issue," he said on the sidelines of a programme here.
Rushdie, the author of "The Satanic Verses" which evoked extreme reaction from the Islamic world, was to take part in the Kolkata Literary Meet on January 30 to promote the movie based on his novel "Midnight's Children".
The author had cancelled his visit claiming that he was forced to do it following threats of being bundled out on the first flight by the police on orders of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
"On what basis this decision was taken? In a democracy, where you allow all democratic rights, such a decision was unjustified unless there is some compelling reason, in which case that has to be shared with people," Yechury said.
