Left book stalls attacked in West Bengal; BJP leaders condemn, Adhikari questions locations

Attacks on book stalls run by Left parties have continued across West Bengal, with incidents reported in Ashoknagar and Siliguri in the past 24 hours, according to party workers and local reports. Stalls set up by the CPI(M), SUCI (Communist) and CPI(ML) Liberation have faced dismantling, arson and threats to stall workers in different parts of the State, the parties said.

In Siliguri, a stall was attacked after a group objected to the contents of some books, leading to verbal clashes with stall workers. The CPI(M) alleged on Wednesday that its stall in Islampur in Uttar Dinajpur district was attacked on Tuesday night, leaving several workers injured in a scuffle. The party did not immediately provide details of the injuries.

Book stalls are a familiar sight in West Bengal, especially during Durga Puja and literary festivals, when political parties and cultural groups set up stalls to sell books and engage with readers. The recent incidents have raised concerns about the safety of such public spaces.

The attacks have drawn condemnation from several BJP and RSS functionaries. Jishnu Basu, a prominent RSS leader in West Bengal, said there was no pride in destroying books or vandalising book stalls. BJP leader Swapan Dasgupta said Hindu pluralism and Bengalis’ love for books did not allow him to support the vandalism.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Mr Dasgupta said: “It is precisely because we have imbibed the traditional Bengali reverence for books that we are appalled. That is why the BJP defended the likes of Salman Rushdie (he got his visa back during the Vajpayee govt) & Taslima. This tradition of Hindu pluralism has guided us and not those who feign a liberal inheritance.”

Mr Dasgupta also said such vandalism could not be tolerated and that he was ashamed of such activities, especially when those responsible were using their party’s name. BJP State president Samik Bhattacharya condemned the attacks and said some people were misusing the party name to engage in such activities, adding that the party would not tolerate it.

Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, however, struck a different note, continuing his criticism of the Left parties and their book stalls. “We are all book lovers, but you do not follow any Sanatani Hindu rituals and oppose the traditions, yet want to set up book stalls in front of Durga Puja pandals,” he said. He added that the Left parties should sell their books from inside their party offices.

Opposition leaders have visited the Left parties’ book stalls to express support and buy books. TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh and West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar were among those who visited the stalls.

On October 17, a bulldozer was brought to a temporary CPI(M) book stall in the Jadavpur area. Residents and party workers stood in front of the bulldozer, forcing it to retreat, according to the party.

The CPI(M) has alleged that its stalls have been targeted in different districts, while other Left parties have reported similar incidents. The attacks have included the dismantling of stalls, arson and threats to workers, the parties said.