World leaders expressed their shock at the attack on British-Indian author Salman Rushdie, who was stabbed by a man at an event in New York on Friday. The 75-year-old Booker Prize laureate is currently on a ventilator battling for his life. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the incident, calling it an attack on his freedom of expression. Former UK chancellor and a leading contender to succeed Johnson’s post, Rishi Sunak, also took to Twitter to express his shock. “Shocked to hear of the attack on Salman Rushdie in New York. A champion of free speech and artistic freedom. He’s in our thoughts tonight,” Sunak wrote.Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, the other finalist in the British elections called the attack ‘disgraceful.’ French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his support to the author and said France stood with Salman Rushdie. White House termed the attack on Rushdie ‘appalling.’ In India, Congress leaders Kapil Sibal, Shashi Tharoor and Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi were among the first to react. Watch this video for more details.