Publisher withdraws book on Delhi riots, author goes ahead with virtual launch

The announcement came even as the authors held the virtual book launch event with BJP leader Kapil Mishra – the guest of honour – saying that the “book is public now” on Twitter.

The publishers of a book on communal riots in north-east Delhi announced the withdrawal of the publication on Saturday, a day after an event proclaiming its virtual launch kicked up a controversy.

The clashes between Hindus and Muslims in different parts of north-east Delhi left at least 53 dead and around 400 injured.(HT file photo)

In a statement, publishers Bloomsbury India said: “Bloomsbury India had planned to release Delhi Riots 2020: The Untold Story in September, a book purportedly giving a factual report on the riots in Delhi in February 2020, based on investigations and interviews conducted by the authors. However, in view of very recent events including a virtual pre-publication launch organised without our knowledge by the authors, with participation by parties of whom the publishers would not have approved, we have decided to withdraw publication of the book. Bloomsbury India strongly supports freedom of speech but also has a deep sense of responsibility towards society.”

The announcement came even as the authors held the virtual book launch event with BJP leader Kapil Mishra – the guest of honour – saying that the “book is public now” on Twitter. Apart from Mishra, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri and OpIndia editor Nupur Sharma were also invited as guests of honour. BJP national general secretary Bhupendra Yadav launched the book.

“Delhi Riots 2020: The Untold Story tells us the liberals are not fighting for right to freedom of expression but the freedom to speak anything they want even that which harms the country. The Delhi riots were an attempt to wage jihad against the Indian state,” Yadav wrote on Twitter.

The clashes between Hindus and Muslims in different parts of north-east Delhi left at least 53 dead and around 400 injured.

While Mishra has not been charged by the police, he delivered a speech ahead of the riots -- between pro- and anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protesters that snowballed into a Hindu-Muslim communal riot -- that people would take matters into their own hands if the police did not remove anti-CAA demonstrators from near the Jafrabad Metro station.

In response to the publishing house withdrawing the publication of the book, Mishra said, “I would like to congratulate the authors of this book because they have managed to bring out such an authentic account that the custodians of freedom of speech, who even considered demeaning our motherland and our gods and goddesses as freedom of speech got scared of this book and started leading a smear campaign against it. Even before reading the book this lobby was afraid.”

Monica Arora, who has co-authored the book with Sonali Chitalkar and Prerna Malhotra, said they had been in touch with Bloomsbury for the past three months. “The contract with the publishers was signed after we sent them the manuscript two months ago based on our ground report. After exchange of several emails on regular basis recommending edits, over one month ago the final draft was approved. They published 100 books and gave it to us. We informed them of the launch, the guests, and the posters of the event was put in the public domain. There was no problem before Friday when leftist-fascists scuttled my freedom of speech,” she said, adding that the authors have not received any formal e-mail on withdrawal of the contract.

“Bloomsbury India had no problems with the book. But after people started tagging Bloomsbury UK, they pressurized Bloomsbury India and we were told that they might be withdrawing from publication due to international pressure. This is breach of trust and contract. Is it ethical to crumble under social media pressure?” she asked.