Hindu organization refused booth at Kolkata book fair, High Court criticizes organizer.

On Friday, the Calcutta High Court strongly criticized the Publishers and Booksellers Guild for denying Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) a stall at the forthcoming 48th International Kolkata Book Fair.

The literary event, which is the largest in Asia, will take place from January 28 to February 9.

Justice Amrita Sinha stated that space should be allocated for the VHP to establish a book stall at the fair and inquired why the Publishers and Booksellers Guild, responsible for organizing the fair, had not accommodated this request this year. The VHP had requested authorization from the organizer to set up a book stall at the fair. Nonetheless, the organization was denied permission since the Guild asserted that the protocol was not adhered to correctly because of rule changes this year.

The attorney for the Guild stated in court that the VHP releases ‘sensitive’ literature and that the organization lacked a publishing house. Conversely, the attorney for the VHP contended that Vishwa Hindu Barta is their group, and it has been establishing stalls at the book fair since 2011.

The lawyer for the Guild stated that certain regulations at the book fair had altered this year, resulting in permission not being granted.

Justice Sinha then replied, “You lack any statutory regulations; the rules that have been altered.” Why did you allow this for so many years? You are creating your own guidelines as you wish.

She instructed the Guild to allocate space for the VHP to establish a book stall at the fair and requested an update on this in the upcoming hearing on January 20 (Monday).