Why Are Book Stalls Set Up By Left Parties In Durga Puja Pandals Are Attacked In West Bengal? Explained

Story so far: Over the past few days, book stalls set up by left-wing parties in Durga Puja pandals have come under attack at several places in West Bengal. Stalls run by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India and the Center for Socialist Unity of India (Communist) were targeted not only in Kolkata but also in the districts. The police also refused permission to set up temporary book stalls at several places.

On the night of 17 October, supporters of Left parties formed a human chain around a temporary book stall in the Jadavpur area, where civic authorities and police were trying to raze the structure to the ground using a bulldozer. Temporary book stands operated by non-political organizations, including the Association for the Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), also came under attack.

The tradition of setting up book stalls in Durga Puja pandals has a long history in West Bengal. The CPI(M) and other left parties do not directly relate to the ritualistic aspects of Durga Puja. For them, these stalls are not only a means to popularize their political ideology, but also a way to engage with people during one of the state’s biggest public festivals.

Why is Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari against book stalls?

Almost a month before Durga Puja, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari urged the organizers not to allow Left parties to set up book stalls at pandals. He argued that parties who refer to Durga Puja as ‘Sharodotsav’ or autumn festival, instead of associating with its religious significance, should not be allowed to set up stalls at pandals.

On October 20, as the celebrations drew to a close, Mr. Adhikari reiterated his opposition to Left parties setting up book stalls during Durga Puja. He said that if the Left parties want to sell books, they can do so from their party offices which are spread across the state. He reiterated that parties who do not support Durga Puja or other festivals should not be allowed to set up stalls in pandals.

“Those who do not believe in Durga Pujas or any other Pujas better not be allowed to sell books during Durga Puja. Keep books in your party offices, make a library and sell books from there. There are 4,000 to 5,000 party offices like palaces in the state and all of them are open,” Mr. Adhikari said on October 20.

BJP, RSS leaders oppose attacks on book stalls

While the chief minister continued to voice his opposition to book stalls run by left parties at Durga Puja pandals, his cabinet colleague Swapan Dasgupta, state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary Jishnu Basu spoke out against the attacks.

Mr. Dasgupta, who holds the Finance portfolio, said he could not support attacks on book stalls. “I have been witnessing such stalls for 30-40 years. Not that they attract much attention. But they still set up stalls. I am in no way supporting hooliganism around book stalls,” he said.

Mr. Bhattacharya said that no party worker could be involved in vandalizing book stalls and that action would be taken if anyone was found to have done so. Mr. Basu said that there was no courage in the attack on the book stall and that those responsible could not call themselves Hindus.

Despite these objections from the BJP and RSS leadership, the attacks continued while the administration failed to prevent them. This is not the first time that the BJP leadership is speaking in different voices. After the Jadavpur University attack, key functionaries of the party and the government also expressed different views.

What is the role of the judiciary?

After the police refused permission for a temporary book stall in Bongaon, the CPI(M) approached the Calcutta High Court.

On October 15, a single judge of the Supreme Court ordered the state government to allow the standoff. In his order, Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya observed that the spread of various political ideas and ideologies is welcome in a democracy as it helps make the democracy more fruitful, deep-rooted and mature. He urged the ruling dispensation to create an atmosphere where people of different political ideologies could express their views without hesitation.

However, the state government challenged the order before the division bench. On October 16, a bench comprising Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge and Justice Shabbar Rashidi stayed the single judge’s order.

On October 20, the CPI(M) approached the vacation bench of the Supreme Court against the police action at its book stall in Jadavpur. The court dismissed the petition saying that the matter had already been decided in the Bongaon book stall case.

Left vs Right

The targeting of book stalls run by left-wing parties is part of a political contest that has emerged in West Bengal since the BJP government came to power in May 2026. Emboldened by its electoral victory and the dismantling of the Trinamool Congress’ organizational network, the BJP appears to have turned its attention to the left as a political opponent.

Attacks on Jadavpur University by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) supporters, remarks by BJP leaders against students and faculty of the university and the recent attack on former CPI(M) MP and senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya point to an increasingly pronounced left-right political divide in the state.

CPI(M) State Secretary Md. Salim claimed that the books were just a pretext and that the ruling party had decided to crack down on activities related to education and culture.

Resistance to the attacks spread beyond the left front. Even leaders outside the alliance spoke out against targeting book stalls. The controversy could therefore provide an impetus for greater unity between the Left parties and other political forces in West Bengal.

Published – 21 Oct 2026 12:33 IST