Liberal gang-shaming is a thing now. Just like Hindutva army onslaught has been for some time. The manner in which Bloomsbury India was pressured to withdraw the book titled Delhi Riots 2020: The Untold Story by RSS-sympathetic lawyer Monika Arora, Sonali Chitalkar and Prerna Malhotra is an instance of this. The manner in which big ticket authors like William Dalrymple weighed in makes it clear that liberals and progressives have entered a rabbit hole from which we won’t be able to extricate ourselves easily.
For someone who has always held close the idea that book bans and calls for book bans are inherently fascist acts, this moment of de-platforming of Monika Arora’s book is a deeply conflicting one for me. I intensely disagree with the premise and politics of the book — blame the victim ‘Kapil Mishra style’ — at least from what I gather from social media. But this is when our long-held Voltairean values are tested severely, when books you don’t agree with are denied the space to breathe. I agree it was easier to defend Salman Rushdie than Monika Arora.
I am convinced that the book will find a new home, a new publisher and a new platform. It is inconceivable that under Narendra Modi and Amit Shah’s government, this kind of a book would simply disappear. In fact, it will now become larger-than-life, which it most probably doesn’t deserve.
But my larger point is this — it is not a celebratory chest-thumping moment for liberals, no matter how you twist your arguments with legal sophistry and do all kinds of ideological gymnastics to make your peace with this moment.
Also read: The idea of ‘safe spaces’ has turned on itself to exclude everyone who dares to differ
Can’t do a volte face now
I am not a millennial woke. My politics was shaped in the 1980s, when I was a teenager. That was when Salman Rushdie’s book The Satanic Verses was banned by the Rajiv Gandhi government.
If I disapproved of the ban on The Satanic Verses, if I disapproved of Dinanath Batra (whom I called “Ban Man” in my article in The Washington Post), if I disapproved of how Taslima Nasreen was hounded and attacked in Hyderabad by Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM, then I can’t suddenly do a volte face and chest-thump today.
When you ban a book, it acquires a kind of cult status because the market fuels curiosity. That is what happened with other banned books. In fact, there are books chronicling banned books by different regimes in history.
We don’t need Hindutva libraries of Alexandria — let them breathe, be ignored, challenged, die, and be forgotten over the ground.
Also read: ‘This is fascism’ — Flak for Bloomsbury on social media as it withdraws book on Delhi riots
De-platforming isn’t the way
There are many who argue that this is not a ban, that the government did not force Bloomsbury India to withdraw, that this is just public outrage. And that public outrage is different from State action. But public outrage often leads to State action. That’s what happened in Rushdie’s case. In painter M.F. Husain’s case, it began with public outrage, with Hindu fundamentalist hoodlums going into galleries and protesting against Husain displays and protesting outside his house naked. Then the countless legal challenges in court followed.
To be clear, I am not elevating Monika Arora’s propaganda to the level of high art and high literature. I am not indulging in false equivalence either, like many of my friends would accuse me of. All I am saying is that forcing Bloomsbury India to withdraw the book is counter-productive – both politically and in the pure sense of how market forces work.
I was against the bringing down of the Confederate statues and colonial statues after George Floyd murder and Black Lives Matter protests, even though the anger was understandable. Instead, if our 21st Century politics of rights does not allow us to tolerate a Confederate statue at the city centre, there are better ways of dealing with it than throwing it in the river. Put it in a museum or erect plaques around it to give it context and history, explaining how it is an anathema today. Shame the statue, instead of erasing it.
This is not how you stop a thought. If you find that WhatsApp narratives are being turned into books, they should be countered with different books. Bloomsbury tweeted that they are running a book called Shaheen Bagh: From a protest to a Movement by Zia us Salam and Uzma Ausaf.
Yes it would be called ‘both-sideism’, a dirty word today. Many would ask, would you advocate freedom of thought and speech under Nazi Germany? The answer to these questions are both easy and complicated. No, I wouldn’t advocate ‘both-sideism’ under Adolf Hitler. That’s the easy answer. But there is a larger nuanced issue at hand here. One of how liberals and progressives are digging themselves into a bottomless hole in today’s politics with a series of self-goals.
But whichever way you answer that question, de-platforming and bans are not the way to go.
To quote Shahab Jafari’s famous Urdu couplet: Tu idhar udhar ki na baat kar, yeh bata ke kaafila kyon luta/mujhe rehjano se gila nahin, teri rahbari pe sawaal hai. (Don’t beat around the bush saying this or that, just tell me how did our caravan get plundered/I have no grudge with the bandits, but am asking questions on your leadership).
Where do you draw the line? Today, many are relieved that this book will not find a publisher in Bloomsbury. But what will you do if Swarajya or OpIndia launches a publishing house of its own in the future?
Also read: Those who abused Hindu gods scared book on Delhi riots will expose them, Kapil Mishra says
Powering up Hindu fundamentalists
There were other options liberals could have exercised. They could have questioned Bloomsbury India’s editorial judgement in accepting Monika Arora’s book for publication. That decision was driven by greed and fear probably, as is the one of withdrawal. Liberals could have even boycotted writing for Bloomsbury. But to rejoice the de-platforming is the latest in a long list of liberal self goals, not unique to India. This is happening around the world in the name of freedom of speech and expression. But all good values are tested in adversity and that is where we demonstrate the robustness of that principle.
If you celebrate this moment, it is going to be really difficult to come back from this. If you chest-thump right now, it defeats your politics long term and will be quoted ad nauseam for decades to come and labelled as pseudo. It will just embolden Hindu fundamentalists in India and abroad to justify demands for banning and de-platforming Wendy Doniger, Sheldon Pollock and Isabel Wilkerson.
Views are personal.
Ms. Rama Lakshmi, why don’t you be more fair and comment on the book after reading it rather than hearing about it in the Social Media??
Why are these people still called Liberals? They are not liberal or charitable towards their opponents. They are fanatics and bigots and blackmail the publisher into abandoning an edited and approved book. How is this different from Shiva Sena or Bajrang Dal people who might pelt stone or pore ink. Except that these people are classy and speak English, they are no different. Call them obscurantists, bigots, fanatics, NOT liberals.
The author of this article keeps talking about Hindu fundamentalists which shows her bias against Hndus. Why she never talks about Muslim fundamentalists who create havoc anytime something about their religion is said, If Hindus are fundamentalists, then so be it. For long Hindus have been subdued by this pseudo-secularism and so called Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb. The other parties have never believed in brotherhood as can be seen all over the world.
Makes me wonder why a book by a Supreme Court lawyer by Monika Arora is called biased but a report by ideologically driven Rana Ayub or Teesta Seetalvad is Gospel Truth.
Well said…you sum it up for all the comments here.
Have you wondered how Rana Ayub or Teesta Seetalvad can argue their case without needing a mob to issue rape and murder threats against their opponents ?
It is because they have intellect and it has convincing power, and you are afraid of that. The BJP relies on Anurag Thakur and men firing pistols to win arguments.
They have intellect the same as Mo and his soldiers — intellect to plan rape, terror, killing, bomb-throwing, name-calling as exemplified in 1400 years of constant war against the civilized world.
How did you put rioters, cow lynchers and child rapists in the category of the civilised ?!!
India under Modi got the lowest world ranking for safety of women. Hindus are leading in rape. I never read Sikhs, Muslims, Parsis or Christians hitting the headlines for rape.
Hindu fundamentalists are already emboldened by the the government actions and policies, and not by the liberals. They act on their own initiatives, regardless of whether the liberals have done something or not. For instance, when they didn’t allow Wendy Doniger’s book “The Hindus”, it was not in reaction to anything that the liberals had done. They react to anything that seems to them challenging their religious views. Moreover, there is nothing to suggest that the liberals forced Bloomsbury to not publish the book by the RSS-sympathetic lawyer Monika Arora, Sonali Chitalkar and Prerna Malhotra, William Dalrymple being just one odd man to have talked to the publisher. In fact he did the right thing to prevent the damage the book would do to the people.. The Hindu fundamentalists would do everything they can to not allow the publications of books by Wendy Doniger, Sheldon Pollock and Isabel Wilkerson regardless of what William Dalrymple did. So the liberals should do whatever they should do without the fear of a reaction from the Hindu fundamentalists. Those who want to read Wendy Doniger, Sheldon Pollock and Isabel Wilkerson, they would find their books to read in these times of internet and social media. Another publisher had agreed to publish the three ladies’ book. That’s fine.
As far as removing the statues, again there is nothing to indicate that the liberals are involved. The black African Americans are angry with the systemic racism in America, and they are forcing the authorities to remove the statues of those whom they consider racists. They believe why those racists who have committed crimes of racism and slavery against humanity should be honored by the country by erecting their statues. Intolerance has nothing to do with this. Neither there is a valid question of the banned books acquiring culyt like status. IF A THING IS HARMFUL, IT SHOULD BE BANNED. PERIOD. IF THEY ACQUIRE A CULT LIKE STATUS, SO BE IT. DRUGS ARE BANNED BECAUSE THEY ARE HARMFUL. THEY ALSO ACQUIRE A BIG STATUS, SELLING IN THE MARKET AT UNBELIEVABLY EXORBITANT PRICE! THERE IS SUCH A LURE FOR BIG MONEY, THAT THE DRUG OVERLORDS HAVE THEIR SMALL PRIVATE ARMIES WHO DOESN’T HESITATE IN COMMITTING MASS MURDERS. THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD LIFT THE BAN ON THE DRUGS TO SOLVE THE MYRIAD PROBLEMS OF MONEY, SMUGGLING, CRIMES, ETC. AND YET NOWHERE SUCH BANS ARE LIFTED. A NECESSARY EVIL MUST BE FOUGHT. IT WOULD HAVE DONE UNTOLD DAMAGE IF YOU WAIT TO “lLET THEM BREATHE, BE IGNORED, CHALLENGED, DIE, AND BE FORGOTTEN OVER THE GROUND.” AMERICANS ARE HELL BENT OVER THEIR BACKS TO REMOVE THE EVIL OF PRESIDENT TRUMP, AND DON’T WANT TO WAIT TILL HE IS GONE AND FORGOTTEN BY GIVING HIM A SECOND TERM OF 4 YEARS. WHY? THE EVIL MAN WOULD DESTROY AMERICA IF GIVEN 4 MORE YEARS! These black people, nor the municipal authorities who remove the statues, are not necessarily liberals. Note that the statues are protected by the law. The removed statutes are sent to the museums. You picked on a single case where the statue was thrown in the river in Bristol, Britain. Even this statue was retrieved from the water and sent to a museum.
Someone can be an Islamic fundamentalist, but being a Hindu fundamentalist is a crime? Please educate yourself. This is a country where there are about a billion people who follow Hinduism unlike some so called liberals and cheaters who convert to some other religion for petty benefits. It is very clear that you know about Hinduism and you may also be someone who has shamelessly converted.
Under the grab of ‘liberal’, you are serving the purpose of the Hindu fundamentalists, making the ‘unread’ book a bestseller. In the process, you used William Dalyrimple, who wrote so many good books, and sabotaged him and his baby JLF. A few years ago, you had killed the Banglore Film Festival in its infancy by calling name to Vikram Sampath. Till you are here., Modi and company do not need any well-wishers. You are serving his purpose and playing as per his narratives. The reason is that you are starved of the state patronage and you have gone berserk.
Well written, Rohit Desai. All of a sudden, the Hindutva gang wants to defend freedom of press !
These are the same fellows who shot Gauri Lankesh, who send rape or death threats to Rana Ayub, Barkha Dutt, Shehla Rashid, Nidhi Razdan, Ravish Kumar…..
No liberal will issue rape and death threats to Hindutva supporters. Liberals are fighting an asymmetric battle – the other side will rape and kill with impunity, and they have political and police support. Liberals cannot muster and angry mob to riot. But liberals have the intellectual prowess and are able to argue with logic against wickedness. That bothers them.
Actually, nobody has barred publication of their ‘alternative story’ of the Delhi riots, it is just that Bloomsbury UK realised that it was fake, and decided it would hurt their reputation.
These fellows will publish their story in OpIndia or the like, but they themselves know it is peddler of fake news and does not have credibility !
The suggestion that liberals scored an own goal is just sour grapes because the Hindu right wanted to ride on Bloomsbury’s credibility and get their alternative story of the Delhi riots accepted outside their circles, and that effort failed. Now they have no choice but to publish in their own circles.
The outside world knows that Amit Shah organised the riots and shipped in mobs from outside Delhi. Neither the Muslims nor Hindus living in that area of Delhi were the planners of the riots. Shah organised the riots in response to the NRC resistance, to send a message to intimidate Muslims that he will organise Hindu mobs and police to beat up Muslims.
Bloomsbury’s rejection makes these fellows angry as it is in effect a negation of their ‘alternative story’ of the Delhi riots.
Self-proclaimed Liberals have been exposed. They are not so liberal after all. Liberalism was only a facade to push their own propoganda. Today Liberalism, as an idea lost because of Pseudo-Liberals.
Liberals can win by intellectual arguments. Fascists decide arguments with mobs and riots.
That is the infuriating difference.
Nice to see the author mentioning ….. from what I gather from social media. ….. She is not alone. On one side librandu authors cry for fakeries but all of them make their opinions and conclusions based on fabricated data and manufactured stories. They quote each other to boost their credibility. However, as every thing fake, librandus arguments fall flat. It strengthens the impression that librandus are hardcore crooks always conspiring to accuse, abuse and fool people.
In India, liberalism and leftist thought is another name for minority commumnalism (read Muslim communalism). The writer is being naive in expecting this intellectual mafia not to oppose the book. Anyway, these days banning the books is senseless. Few years back, Wendy Doniger’s books Hinduism – An Alternate History was banned under court order. Penguine, its publisher converted the stock of books into pulp. But, this book is available in Amazon as a Kindle book. So much for the stupid ban culture.
The book is not banned, Bllomsbury UK realised it is fake news, they decided not to soil their name. OpIndia and other ‘Hindu nationalist’ sites will publish. It is a book for third rate Hindus only.
Nobody banned the book in India. Bloomsbury UK withdrew from publishing it as they realised that it was a story to whitewash a state organised genocide. So don’t twist matters.
RSS agents will be publishing it.
In the Cut the Clutter, Guptaji cleverly showed the names of authors supporting the book writers rather than the real illiberal perpetrators like tweets of William Dalrymple etc. He made a fool of us. He is afraid to take their names. Hum Sab Pataa lagtaa Hai, Guptaji!
Did you all notice one thing in his Cut the Clutter? Whenever any western institution, commentator is described, they are held in high esteem with effusive praise. In his words, they are spotless!!
Slave Mentality!
It’s amazing that despite the brazen subversion of FOE by Bloomsbury, author’s only worry is a possible retaliation by the right. Take a disingenuous stand about protecting FOE while throwing in subtle (or not so subtle) insinuations about the quality of the book and pedigree of the authors. This, even before anyone has read its contents! Seriously! Thanks but no thanks for the crocodile tears! Just because you self-proclaim yourself as a liberal does not make you one.
In this particular case you can quite accurately guess what the Book contains by looking at the name of the person who was the guest-of-honour at the Book release ceremony. He is none other than the rioter-in-chief Delhi 2020, Kapil Mishra.
Since when it became a norm to ban a book based on who the author speaks to and not on the content of the book?
The book was not banned. Don’t lie. The publisher decide it was fake news to mask a genocide and decided to withdraw. Hindu extremist groups will publish it.
Its not a matter of FOE. Bloomsbury UK realised this is a story to whitewash a govt. genocide, they realised it will affect their standing, so they withdrew. That is entirely within their right.
Hindu publishing houses will publish it. It is just that you cannot persuade foreigners with your fabrications.
THEY EMPLOY JOURNALIST AMONG THEMSELVES TO CALL THE BOOK RIGHT WING PROPAGANDA TO DEFEND WHAT THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEING DOING WITH IMPUNITY IE BLOCKING SPACE OF OTHERS . BUT WITH THE SOCIAL MEDIA TAKING THESE FAKE LIBERALS ON . THEIR LIFESTYLE IS INDEED BECOMING MORE UNSUSTAINABLE. LET’S GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT.
1) left leaning liberals are power hungry .
2) Always had a gang mentality.
3) Always were in positions of power and influence during congrass regime
4) Would always ensure opposing views to their self serving agenda was CRUSHED.
5) Knew how to enjoy life by claiming “LIBERAL IDEALS” . INDIA n INDIANS BE DAMNED.
6) “LIBERAL IDEAS ” meant keeping the policy of mughals and british of ” DIVIDE AND RULE ” INDIA .
7) Ensuring proselytizers were given a free hand to finance their operations through foreign religious institutions .
That Swarajya and Opindia are scaring the liberal ilk is very clear. Despite how they tried to prevent advertisers from working with them, tried deplatforming them on twitter, manipulated Wikipedia articles, they are gaining more and more followers every day because they expose the ugly truths the SLOBs refuse to acknowledge. Good.
‘That Swarajya and Opindia are scaring the liberal ilk is very clear. ….they are gaining more and more followers every day because they expose the ugly truths the SLOBs refuse to acknowledge. Good.’
Then why do you want to publish in Bloomsbury, go to OpIndia. The outside world knows what is ‘Hindu nationalism’ from their sources. You stick with OpIndia, it is made for low IQ Hindus only.
Rama Laxmi: you started well but pretty soon you showed your colors. You belong to the same liberal leftist gang. They are the new Fascists. I see that here in USA also when alternative voice are beaten up and are burnt and shut down. People like you and your cohorts will never succeed. You use the word :Hindu Fundamentalism”, but when real Fundamenalists show up and do damage, you go and hide in your favorite hole. You are no journalist, you are a purveyor of misinformation.
The gall and the chutzpah of passing judgement on Hindutva or the book’s author is nauseating. “We don’t need Hindutva libraries” – who made you the boss to decide what we need? “RSS-sympathetic author” – would you brand other authors as communist-sympathizers? If you are incapable of treating ideologies which are better than your failed ones with fairness, don’t expect anyone to take you seriously! You are part of the problem and so you cannot see the solution.
HaHa. Only in India ‘liberals’ will refuse alternative viewpoints. Anything outside their echo chambers is to be banned and censored. Self styled liberals in reality ideological extremists incapable of hearing out contrary opinions.
What a muddled article! Truth is truth and we’ll fight for it with any tool available! how is it a problem to call out Bloomsbury’s double standards?
Don’t worry, there are many opindia-esque publishers and they spew out equivalent poison all the time – for many years now. may be the author should look those up – then she’ll understand why it is important to stop yielding space to hate.
The Hindutva supporters see more value in Bloomsbury than OpIndia publishing it. They think Bloomsbury has more credibility as it is a foreign brand, so if they got their ‘alternative facts’ in there, that would be a success. Bloomsbury India played the Hindutva line, but when Bloomsbury UK got to know about it, they pulled out as they realised it would damage their reputation to peddle fake news. Of course OpIndia types will publish, but they have little credibility. They have been identified in international news as a fake news platform. The Hindutva fellows desperately wanted to sneak this story in through Bloomsbury but caught. Now all foreign publishers in India will take extra care with govt. stories.
The so called proponents of freedom of speech and thought should have allowed this book to be published. Otherwise they will lose their credibility.
You know, you could have tried and been a bit less catty about this, right? This narrative does have two aspects, not just one you like. And you clearly dismiss the arguments from the other side as conspiracy theories by communalists, the expression of which is the unfortunate price of a society with free speech. And the obligatory Hitler comparison. Oh, how I miss the good old days of the Internet, when bringing up a Nazi metaphor would get you instantly dismissed for being an emotionally immature Karen. Now those Karens are being celebrated for Karening their way through society.
But at one point you are right. The tactics that the Starbucks commies are using now, they will be useful once the aforementioned commies don’t have the stranglehold they have on yhr intellectual discourse now. You are sowing the wind. Seeing you reap the whirlwind will be gorgeous. Your content is still marginally readable, so you deserve my interaction, but I will never not use adblock on the trite you publish on your glorified blog.
PS:- Modern highbrow art that you seem to consider so high above the books mere plebs write, yeah, that shit is worth something only because it helps in avoiding taxation. It’s a tax saving scheme. Otherwise, it ain’t worth the paper it is painted on.
The article is is so biased that possibly writer is writing to amuse a particular section of society. So unfortunate. The editorial board of Print shud review its policy if it wants to remain credible.
Why did Bloomsbury India back off from publishing a book on “Delhi Riot: 2020” by Monika Arora based on Delhi riots followed by Anti-CAA protest?
Bloomsbury refuses to publish Ms.Monica Arora’s book ‘Delhi Riots 2020 – An untold story’ under the pressure of left ecosystem. The reason they stated is of course ridiculous! The book is studded with facts and figures which the mainstream media did not cover (for obvious reasons). These already got checked and approved by Bloomsbury, but they dropped it off last minute. Let me tell you, Ms. Arora is a SC lawyer. She did NOT mention anything in the book which cannot be verified.
Just few days ago, they published the book of some low-life jehadi titled Shaheen bag – from protest to a movement. So thats gospel truth for Bloomsbury, right?
I have a few questions.
1. Who is being fascist here?
2. What is the problem to hear a few facts different from the usual left propaganda?
3. Did you hear the ‘intolerant’ govt create ruckus over the publication of the jehadi book?
4. The information given in Ms Arora’s book can any day be challenged in court. Why are the rioters afraid of the book?
Already got opindia’s report on Delhi riots 2020 on kindle which happens to be the bestseller on amazon… It cost me just a 100 bucks. Will buy this book too !
If you believe in OpIndia, why do you need Bloomsbury ? Why are Hindus like you angry ? Bloomsbury is under no obligation to publish a Hindutva story. OpIndia is a Hindutva label, let them do it.
But in your heart you know OpIndia has no credibility, it would have been nice if Bllomsbury fell for your propaganda. Alas, it was not to be !
Interesting article, Finally someone that believes in shaming the statue. Something I would vote for and have strongly advocated. As for banning this book, shame on the liberals. As for free speech and Hitler, I am all for it. Let the world see it for what it is. The ones that stand in the way of free speech believe they can be some sort of moral and ethical police. This sort of policing is a no-no. Do they think that most people are idiots? In Nazi Germany it was the liberals that needed a platform of free speech. They were on the receiving end as they will be soon if they continue along the path they are. Indian liberals are not liberals at all. They are some corrupted version of Nehruvian Secularists labelling themselves as liberals. Nehruvian Secularist is a Minority appeaser. The one that believe minorities can and should be communal. That is how they protect their interests. These are the ones that designate a population of 230 Million a minority.
No one has banned the book. Some thrid rate Hindu publisher will publish it, you can go there.
Hey ashok where are you? Waiting to read your well-articulated comment.
Huzoor, liberal tiger abhi zinda hai. Dekhiye, kuchh hi slots below, mera humble submission. Covid days mein aap apna khayaal rakhiye.
Actually most of the liberals coated elements in India are not liberals. There is a mixed bag of it. There are Islamists (The real original fascist), liberals, leftists. In this mixed bag, the liberal voice is lost and the liberal narrative has been dominated by the real fascist of the world.
The world should be careful here, though Hindu Fundamentalists are mostly limited to speech, the other side can go on to burn down the whole cities.
Like other weak religion who rarely exists today, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism flourished in India and respected, It was the forces of nagas, Sankaracharya’s who have kept India secular, everything else around us has been turned in Islamic fundamentalism.
On, the other hand southern Indian people, good people of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and the there older kingdom have literally protected our heritage. While Mathura, Kashi, Ayudhaya, Somnath, Kailash, and many others were destroyed. Our southern warriors have kept culture and temple alive.
Islamist is the first original fascist and left and liberal are thinking that by aligning with there agenda now there is future. Let me tell you once, left, liberals and Islamists won. Then after that, there will be no left, no liberals on Islamist with many chop square around the country.
The mistake and this mistake again and again of calling everyone Hindu fundamentalist is in itself a self goal and portrays a sense of disconnection from the reality.
No matter how much you wail, the days of the free run the commies had in India are over. What you see now is the real mass movement, the kind of which you had once dreamt would uproot the concept of Bharat or in your language India. Live with it.
It’s amazing that even after the brazen subversion of FOE by Bloomsbury, what’s bothering the author the most is a possible tit-for-tat by the right. Thanks but no thanks for the crocodile tears. Just because your self-proclaim yourself a ‘liberal’ does not make you one.
You call this book as propaganda without even reading it. You all so called liberals are more fundamentalists and extremists pretending to fight for free speech. You are just apologistic. I appreciate Shekar Guptas cut the clutter on this
Sure, differing points of view should be given a platform to be expressed, but this book, like most BJP campaigns, is sure to be full of falsehoods and incendiary material. That’s not okay to be aired. Is hate speech okay in the name of freedom of expression?! No!
Of course, the hue and cry has given the book some free publicity, and more people will want to read it now. But, allowing vile and hateful propaganda on a respected platform like Bloomsbury will give the book way more credibility than if it is published by the likes of Swarajya. Many neutrals will accept the lies as the truth for this one reason alone. So all in all, the book being withdrawn is definitely a good outcome for those fighting for a peaceful and secular India!
What gives one the authority to decide which is vile, incendiary and hateful? Can you say for certain without delving into a text literally whether the text borders on being hateful? Will you decide now for millions and millions of masses what should be published and read. Are you the elected head of regulatory body to dictate the flow of ideas and speech. If that be the case with liberals then people will tend to distance themselves from being one right now.
Have you read the book?
No. I didn’t. But I know who was the guest of honour at the Book release ceremony. It was the rioter-in-chief Delhi 2020, Kapil Mishra. No need to read the book to know what’s garbage it contains.
STRANGE. you coment on the contents of book prior to its publication. Blinkered and prejudiced comment.
What happened to :-
I will fight for your right to FoE even if i disagree with you??
Purity tests & intolerance of “liberals” is the reason for rise of Macho men , not their own abilities.
Time for sanity …the left fringe is becoming the spokesman of liberals.
Just bcz they speak English doesn’t mean they are better than Sakshi Maharaj etc.
Wow. You say the book is a RSS propaganda, but on what basis? Has anyone read the book? No. Has anyone claimed authentically what the book is about? No. In fact the author has made it clear it’s nothing to do with Hindus or Muslims, it’s just a report. But ham to so called ‘liberals’ hai. Hame toh diplomatically answer karna hai
Title made so much more sense than the regressive reasons given in justification of it. The author supports ‘No Ban’ because the controversy shall give more promotion to the book she is prejudiced about and not because any contrarian views should be allowed in public space for healthy democracy and should be judged only once its available in full form to even form any sort of opinion. That goes to show how deep the rabbit hole is, can’t even have right arguments for the cause
Well said.
I wonder how the author of this article got to read the book that is not published yet and pass scathing comments of it being whatever it is accused of. Social media reports, seriously? I think the author forgot the saying – ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover ‘. Can’t blame the coterie, for they always believe the ‘left’, no matter how liberal they may be, is always right.
Would the author kindly clarify exactly who labels people as liberals or progressive, they themselves? In any case this incident clearly proves what Fareed Zakaria talked about left and liberals to be so true, that they feel so morally superior that they can’t bear the thought of anyone else having a contrarian view.
Too late. Now its open season, imagine how this is going to be used against anti nationals when they want to publish a book
Better write in the Washington Post this very same article.
This Jihadi author will not and if she does, the gutter journalist at WP will never publish it. These people of the Left have worse morale than the ISIS jihadi — they are one level below.
LOL. It is interesting to look into the mind of these so-called liberals these days and how they twist their own dishonesty around themselves into knots. How does this author know that the report of Monika Arora is not authentic? Did the author do an on-ground investigation like Arora did? Lies come easy for these so-called liberals. They would say or write anything to keep their jobs and careers – sellouts.
Don’t call them liberals. They are wolves in sheep clothing.
I am from a devout Hindu,liberal & 3 rd generation voter family for congress
I work with all kinds of people vis a vis caste, religion,area, language, social strata etc as I am a doctor
From 2009, I am a swing voter deciding on what is available as best option then
Fortunately I have a regional party option
Despite having strong faith in my religion and knowing well that invaders of other religions were barbaric and cruel for 1000 years, I am not willing to ascribe that to the present generation Indians of other faiths ..
” I and like me millions Hindus made peace with genocide on our ancestors ”
V have to live with all
I read a lot & buy books based on topic or author
But from Now onwards
I am forced to
1. look in detail in to the publisher and their background and who is the owner
&
Is the publisher from india bashing ,self righteous preaching from a high pedestal country?
2.Definitely go and also get my friends and family to vote against congress,left, socialists in all future elections against my family,s expected voting pattern
3 definitely buy this book & similar ones whenever possible ” just to read what causes a burnol reaction” in these leftists, pseudo liberals who are the most” intolerant” people if anything is said or written against their personal beliefs but cry foul if they are paid in the same coin
The people who killed were religious bigots on both sides but those who were killed were mostly innocent byestanders
But religious bigots ,leftists, pseudo liberals, congress traditional chamchaas view that” my crime is will of God and ideology based& so less criminal and Hindu fringe elements crime is unpardonable crime” won’t cut ice anymore with the majority of the “majority community”
V can seee through the layers now as to there is alternate discourse available now unlike previous 65 years
These will happen more in this country in future as previously the majority in the”majority community” like me were liberal,disliked aggression and silently voted out the fringe elements in the majority.
But now we will be forced to be silent if not support the aggression at the drop of hat in social life as this is exactly what the so called moderates in other 2 religions do every time.. criticise Hindus ” rightly so ” when some thing unacceptable happens but stay silent when fringe elements from other religions go berserk in a mob mania.
Well said. Many are like you
Liberal gang-shaming is definitely a thing now. The only possible way to live and have a safe job is through agreeing with the left. The left does not seems that liberal anymore, with their cancel culture and gang-shaming. Anything not left and not liberal is directly compared to Hitler and Nazi Germany. No middle ground exists between NAZis and the far left. The shallow interpretation of the Kantian view of “all reasonable minds think alike” is being taken for granted. The educated left knows the best and can educate the rest and has rather a responsibility towards the rest.This attitude is unhealthy and dangerous to diversity and democracy.
I’m against all kinds of right wing bigotry, of all shapes, sizes and colours including Hindutva. But I will never support banning of books because I do not agree with its contents. I totally agree with the author. Liberals have scored a self goal in this instance.
The book was not banned. What are you talking about ? Bloomsbury UK decided the book was an ‘alternative facts’ concoction to justify the Delhi pogrom. They did not want to be part of that, so they withdrew. It would affect their image. They are not compelled to publish fake news.
There are Hindutva publishers who will publish it. The BJP will encourage that. Understand issues before commenting.
Fair but I’d have hoped you could’ve resisted the temptation to sneak in some of your personal biases as your boss Mr Gupta tries to and Ruhi doesn’t! EVEN if this is an Opinion piece…. 1)Monika is no fancy author 2)her book is inaccurate 3)Bloomsbury was afraid of the current dispensation (funny how we all manage to abuse politicians the most be it in India or the US when run by governments of the right without much repercussions. *cough Chidambaram cough*) 4) those on the left occupy a space of moral superiority and others are condemned to the pit of eternal hell.
Cheers
Ms Rohini Singh has spoken for many of us. A professional investigation would not have been so forgiving to Shri Kapil Mishra. There is an asymmetry of power at work which everyone feels in their bones. For him to grace a launch where a demonstrably false narrative of such tragic recent events would have been contained in the book would add to the pain. It is good that Bloomsbury has been shamed into doing the right thing. One hopes Facebook will, too. 2. The liberals probably drink more margaritas than is good for them. They make their case with passion and compassion. They do not cross the line.
Unfortunately you are talking that is opposite to the truth. You got so many lawyers who even put supreme court in stress. why do not you falie a lawsuit on Kapil Mishra and see where you are. You are the one promoting a false narrative. yes, India is truly Alice in Wonderland
Your last lines confirm that hypocrisy and thick skin are not exclusive to right wing; so called liberals make full use of it in presenting their arguments. Bravo!!
you cannot be more prejudiced than this. you have already condemned the contents of the book without reading it. wow!!
Hindu fundamentalism is the result of a denial culture by so called secular and liberals. They are not getting things wrong just nowadays, as iterated here, but have been into this mischief since beginning; telling half truths; concealing facts and ignoring mass beliefs. Religions are based on myths, throughout the world, not just Sanatan Hinduism; except for the ones based on naturalistic thinking, like Buddhism. Get your facts correct, liberals, bring new ideas, identify yourself with realities. Else this world will continue its journey towards to inevitable.
The story of Liberals getting “curiouser and curiouser”…
Alice in wonderland more relevant than “Liberal” commentaries and publications?
Yes, it is curious – like China kicked India and took land, and killed Indians and Modi claims nothing happened.
Likewise the Sanghis tried to peddle ‘alternative facts’ about the Delhi pogrom, but Bloomsbury UK realised it was a fake story, so they withdrew from publishing it, but the supporters of Hindu fascism claim liberals scored an own goal !
I fully agree with the author when she says,
“.. In fact, it will now become larger-than-life, which it most probably doesn’t deserve.”
The best punishment for books that are written to scandalize or with malafide intentions is to IGNORE them. By “hiding” or banning them, the obvious human curiosity is aroused – – WHY are you hiding it?! So by default the book receives publicity.
Having said that, one has to ask a question : why was this book accepted by a “reputed” publisher in the first place? That itself gave the book a legitimacy, as if it was a book of “some standard”, so now by banning it, the curiosity is DOUBLY AROUSED.
In these times when right-thinking people are pointing a finger at Facebook, for sacrificing its societal obligation at the altar of PROFITS, the same accusing finger should also be pointed at Bloomsbury. Ankhi Das at Facebook should lose her job, similarly someone at this Publisher’s office too should lose their job.
Why don’t you write an article in the same Washington Post about it ie., left-liberal denying the publication and showing its true colours – fascism and intolerant side? Why did you reserve this article only for Indian media? Why – WP won’t publish such an article..right?
Plain Hypocrisy !!
You’re right, we’re intolerant.. but only of fascists bigots and their cronies! We’re not gonna make it easy for you to air your rabid propaganda!!
How do you if someone is a fascist?
According to me Islamists are the true facists and the so called liberals are helping them enable it.
Who decides the labels that you want to pin on others, Fascist, Liberal etc; you yourself?
You can’t even differentiate between a real, genuine concern and a propaganda!! Read WP continuously for 10 years and come back to me. So much for trolling!
It shows your arrogance+ ignorance too alongwith intolerance.
While the larger premise of the article is ok, the ease with which the commetariat uses the word “hindu Fundamentalism” is remarkable. But then ofcourse when truly fundamentalist acts are done by proponents of one religion, it is “just a few misguided youth” “it is a religion of peace” “how dare you drag religion into this you bigoted hate mongerer”. Remarkable.
Hindu fundamentalists refer to the fundamentalists only, duhh!! Why are you feeling so guilty?!
Liberals and leftists are consumed and exasperated by the right-wing that they themselves have become the very same intolerant; which they were accusing the other side of. This is the problem with ideologies. It’s like what Nietzsche said, If you stare into the abyss, the abyss also stares back at you.
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. When you see somebody being beaten up do you stand by and let it happen and then raise a huge and cry after the deed is done? You know for a fact that the book is a deliberate attempt to exonerate the wrong doers and pin the blame on the victims. In a country like India where people are willing to buy the majoritarian narrative , countering it later would not find acceptance.
If it was pre war Germany, you would rival Goebbels. You and your cohorts are promoting false narrative, trying to protect Muslim Fundamentalism and destabilize a country. But you are not going to succeed, and the damage you do, you will have to pay, just like Muslim Fundamentalists and trouble makers are paying. Leftist and liberals have aligned with Muslim extremism and you are trying to suppress differing voices. No matter how many lies you spread, you are going down. The book presents the truth and you hate truth,
The so-called liberals are the most illiberal extremists promoter of hate and violence. They include Jihadis, Marxists, Missionaries and other vile anti-Hindu elements.
Imagine thinking there were any buyers to buy your Shaheen baug ki jihadan’s propaganda by two other jihadist anyway. Dont fuss over it, we won’t call for deplatforming y’all. You’re a dying breed in India anyway.
Dying or not, we’re not giving up until you fade out like your name suggest you will!!
Shaheen baug was a rabid anti-hindu experiment to foment communal tension…don’t be fooled by ‘oh we are for constitution’…. they were never secular but abusing secular ideas to further anti hindu propoganda….
left is already dead in India seems you haven’t noticed yet
If the leftist and liberals think that their ideas are only worth reading, they should allow the reader to decide it. Censoring what the public will read is the Fascism of the highest order, which these guys are saying fighting against. The reality is these Cabals are the biggest threat to free thought and free speech.
Sure, you can publish it on Swarajya!!
@subin. Why not on Bloomsbury? Is Bloomsbury your private asset?
No. Bloomsbury as a publisher has its reputation to protect. It can’t see itself as a purveyor of communal propaganda and mischief. A publisher’s good will is directly proportional to the quality of books it publishes and the academic credentials and reputation of the authors they promote. I think Swarajya or OpIndia would be an ideal candidate to publish this book Monika……. whatever.
What you have written is correct. Bloomsbury India’s editors passed this ‘alternative news’ about Delhi riots. But when Bloomsbury UK came to know about it, they blocked it – because they know their reputation will go. End of the matter. These people talk as if it is their right that the whole world should agree with genocidists.
Releasing a promo on another biased view which the left likes is adding to their reputation? Only when neutral there will be reputation. The editors of Bloomsbury did not object to the content. Fire them if they are wrong.
Well, that’s what everyone seems to be doing