RSS leader, WB minister opposes attacks on book stalls set up by left parties in Durga Puja pandals

West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta said he could not support what was happening with the book stalls. File | Photo credit: PTI

As attacks on book stalls set up by Left parties near Durga Puja pandals continue in various parts of the state, a senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh functionary and a West Bengal minister have openly criticized the move.

Also read | Book stalls in Durga Puja pandals bear the brunt of West Bengal’s left-right battle

Jishnu Basu, a prominent RSS leader from West Bengal, said that there is no courage in vandalizing book stalls and those who indulge in such acts are cowards. Mr. Basu, Saha Khetra Prachar Pramukh of South Bengal, said that “those who are intoxicated with power and use the police to close down book stalls” do not understand the country and cannot call themselves Hindus.

An RSS functionary said that only in cases of lawlessness can the police intervene; otherwise CPI(M), CPI and SUCI (Communists) should be allowed to have book stalls.

West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta also said that he could not support what was happening in relation to the book stalls. “I have witnessed such stalls for 30-40 years. Not that they attract much attention. But they set up stalls anyway. I am not in any way supporting hooliganism around book stalls,” Mr Dasgupta told Bengali television’s ABP Ananda news channel.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari continued to target left-wing parties, saying: “Everyone should beware of those whose ancestors are from China. There are those who are trying to create anarchy in the country,” he said.

The Chief Minister, who participated in the Durga Puja ritual in his hometown Kanthi, said that communists do not participate in the rituals, they wear sacred thread on their hands and put tilak on their foreheads. Almost a month ago, Mr. Adhikari had urged the Durga Puja organizers not to allow Left parties to set up book stalls in Durga Puja pandals.

CPI(M) moves Calcutta High Court to protect Jadavpur book stall

The CPI(M) moved the Calcutta High Court on Monday (October 19) alleging that the Calcutta Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the police tried to remove a temporary book stall set up by the party in Jadavpur during the Durga Puja festivities.

On 17 October, supporters of Left parties resisted attempts by the administration to remove a temporary book stall in Kolkata’s Jadavpur area. The people formed a human chain and did not allow the bulldozer to raze the temporary structure to the ground. There were reports that book stalls of Left parties were vandalized across the state, including Howrah and Kolkata, on Monday (October 19).

The practice of having book stalls in Durga Puja pandals has a long tradition. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and other leftist parties do not directly associate with the ritualistic aspect of Durga Puja and these stalls are not only a way to popularize their ideology but also to connect with the people.

Last week, senior leaders of the Left parties met and held a press conference blaming the crackdown on book stalls across the state. CPI(M) West Bengal State Secretary Md. Salim said the books were just an excuse; the party in power decided to crack down on everything related to education and culture.

Book stalls not only of left-wing parties, but also of human rights organizations are targeted. The Association for the Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), a human rights organization, wrote to the state’s interior minister that their stand was vandalized on October 19.

Published – 19 Oct 2026 20:54 IST