The Congress is ready to enforce a ban on James Laine’s book on Shivaji, ‘Sena style’.
State Congress chief Manikrao Thakre said on Tuesday that his party’s workers would not allow sale or circulation of the book. The Supreme Court had on Friday upheld the Bombay High Court’s verdict
quashing the state ban imposed in 2003.
“We will not allow any bookstore or person to sell the book,” Thakre said after senior party leaders met in the city to look at several issues, including the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute, that have embarrassed the Congress-led government.
The Opposition has turned its heat on the ruling party from day one of the monsoon session of the legislature. But some Congress workers said the party has reacted late. “There’s no point in saying this about the book because other parties have put the point across strongly,” a party functionary said.
The SC verdict triggered in the state, but the issue appeared to lose steam on Monday after the Oxford University Press assured the state it would not print copies of the book.
The Congress also demanded a law to prevent “defamatory writing” about iconic figures, again, a day after the state assured it would bring in such a law. Thakre will also take up the Karnataka border issue with Sonia Gandhi. “We will request Soniaji to intervene because Karnataka is using force to curb democratic protest,” he said.