It wasn't the only case of Rushdie offending powerful figures through his writings. He's angered the then Prime Minister of India, Mrs Indira Gandhi. Because it seemed to imply "that Mrs. Gandhi was responsible for the death of her husband through neglect," Indira Gandhi was incensed by his awarded book, 'Midnight's Children".

His "roman à clef" Shame from 1983 was critical of Pakistan's political figures, culture, and religion. It dealt with an important incident in Pakistani history that is portrayed as a family dispute between Iskander Harappa (Zulfikar Ali Bhutto) and his successor and executioner Raza Hyder (Zia ul-Haq). Benazir Bhutto, a Pakistani Prime Minister, has been identified as "The Virgin Ironpants."

Rushdie vehemently opposed the Shah's regime and, at least in its early phases, backed the Iranian Islamic Revolution. Although he denounced the US bombardment of Tripoli in 1986, Muammar al-Gaddafi, the leader of Libya, threatened him three years later. He penned a book in which he was vehemently critical of US foreign policy in general and its war in Nicaragua in particular. He referred to the US government as "the bandit posing as sheriff" in one instance.

It's safe to say, Rushdie posed as someone radically opinionated through his works.

Sources: https://openthemagazine.com/lounge/books/yes-i-dont-like-pakistan/
- Wikipedia