Joining hands on condemning horrific Paris attack on satirical Charlie Hebdo, author Salman Rushdie on Thursday took a firm stand to "defend the art of satire.

"Religion, a medieval form of unreason, when combined with modern weaponry becomes a real threat to our freedoms. This religious totalitarianism has caused a deadly mutation in the heart of Islam and we see the tragic consequences in Paris today,"  Rushdie posted in his tweet which has been retweeted in a record number since the attack

"I stand with Charlie Hebdo, as we all must, to defend the art of satire, which has always been a force for liberty and against tyranny, dishonesty and stupidity. Respect for religion' has become a code phrase meaning 'fear of religion.' Religions, like all other ideas, deserve criticism, satire, and, yes, our fearless disrespect."