Prominent Personalities Rally for Human Rights at Kolkata Book Fair
In an unprecedented move, eminent West Bengal figures, including renowned artists and authors, have united in support of the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), which was notably denied a stall at the Kolkata International Book Fair. This marks the first occasion in the fair’s 48-year history that APDR, a pivotal human rights organization, has faced such exclusion.
The Kolkata International Book Fair is scheduled to begin on January 28, and the influential open letter to the fair’s organizers, the Publishers and Booksellers Guild, highlights deep concern among esteemed personalities including Dr. Vinayak Sen, Jaya Mitra, and Biplab Bandhopadhyay, among others.
In their letter, they expressed, “This book fair and its platform has always been used as a place to bring together different opinions, different language, and literature.” They further lamented that preventing APDR from having a stall at a time when freedom of expression is eroding is both painful and infuriating.
The letters urged the guild to reconsider their decision and to ensure at least a respectable place for APDR at the fair. Ranjit Sur, a senior APDR member, revealed that their stall was denied because they were deemed a “political organization” without registration. He pointed out, “We have never registered our organization on principle, since it was formed in 1972.”
In a response, Sudhangshu Sekhar Dey, the Publishers and Booksellers Guild’s general secretary, clarified that the guild had no vendetta against APDR; staunchly stating that this year, no organizations were offered stalls. He supported his point by mentioning that even political parties like Trinamool and CPI(M) were similarly denied, unless they possessed a publishing unit.
The APDR also sought legal recourse by appealing at the Calcutta High Court, which unfortunately dismissed their petition. The court ruled that the book fair is a private event, giving guild the autonomy in stall allocations. Interestingly, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is in a similar situation regarding their stall, with a court hearing scheduled for January 20.
Prominent artists and authors from West Bengal protest the exclusion of the human rights organization APDR from the Kolkata International Book Fair. They argue this decision undermines free expression and cultural diversity. The guild claims a neutral stance, not allowing any organizations to have stalls. The APDR’s legal appeal was dismissed, highlighting tensions between civic rights and event management.
The denial of a stall to the APDR at the Kolkata International Book Fair has sparked a significant outcry among prominent West Bengal figures. Their protest underlines critical issues surrounding freedom of expression and civil liberties amidst rising tensions. This incident highlights a concerning trend of silencing dissenting voices and raises questions about the inclusivity of cultural platforms. As the situation unfolds, the response from the guild and legal proceedings may redefine the future of political expression at public events in West Bengal.
Original Source: www.thehindu.com
