Saffron Policing at Books Fair in Tirupati
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By Syed Ali Mujtaba, Copy Edited By Adam Rizvi, The India Observer, TIO: Chennai – Hindutva religious extremists attacked the Tirupati book exhibition on the evening of February 8, 2025. They objected to the book “Quran Analysis” by a Hindu writer called Mr. Sharma. The author in this book describes many similar values between Islam and Hinduism, citing the Quran as a source.
Some Hindutva extremists created a ruckus at the bookstall tearing the book and burning it that’s written in Telugu.
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The miscreants chanted the slogan “Jai Shri Ram” and attempted to vandalize the Vishalandhra bookstall that exhibited this book. They resorted to false accusations, abusive language, and caused disturbances, eyewitnesses said.
Sakam Nagaraju who was present at the book exhibition narrates; “Hearing loud noises near one of the stalls I rushed there. A few Hindutva supporters were tearing and burning a book written by Sharma. They were attempting to set the book on fire while chanting slogans.”
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“They even went to the Vishalandhra book stall, shouting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan and in abusive language, questioned, ‘Why are you selling books like Ramayana Visha Vriksham written by Ranganayakamma?”
They also objected to the books written by Tamil Reformer, Periyar. Their allegation was Periyar’s books that advocate marrying one’s mother and sister.
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Vaka Prasad, the convener of the ‘Tirupati Book Lovers United Forum,’ stated that books are a symbol of freedom of thought and regardless of region or religion are the source of knowledge. He said no one has the right to curb our freedom of expression and questioned who these fanatics are to decide which books one should read or not. He demanded the arrest of all those miscreants who attacked the bookstalls.
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It may be recalled that a similar attack on a Veekshanam book stall was done by the Hindutva hoodlums at the Hyderabad Book Fair on December 29, 2024.
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Curated and Compiled by Humra Kidwai
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