Mumbai, Feb 1 : Blaming West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for blocking his visit to Kolkata, Booker prize-winning author Salman Rushdie on Friday left India to London.

Rushdie was to visit Kolkata on Wednesday for promotion of the film `Midnight''s Children', which is based on his Booker-winning novel of the same name.

The controversial writer claimed that Banerjee had ordered the police to block his arrival. He also accused the police of giving details of his itinerary to the press and for calling on Muslim leaders to protest against his visit.

"I did not get friendly advice to stay away from Kolkata. I was told the police would put me on the next plane out. The simple fact is that the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered the police to block my arrival," Rushdie tweeted before leaving India.

Rushdie has been facing protests over his 1998 book `Satanic Verses', which was banned in India for alleged blasphemy.

Deepa Mehta, director of the film, has also called off her trip to Kolkata in an expression of solidarity with Rushdie.

Earlier, on Thursday, the Indian-origin author had attended the premiere of the film along with Mehta in Mumbai.

''Midnight''s Children'' had released overseas last year itself and it will release in India on Friday after makers ensured that they faced no problem when the film is screened.

The film has already done the rounds of several international film festivals around the globe since last year. (ANI)