Kapil Mishra ‘guest of honour’ at launch of book on Delhi riots

: The Saturday virtual launch of a book on the February Delhi riots has turned controversial with Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kapil Mishra being named in invitations

: The Saturday virtual launch of a book on the February Delhi riots has turned controversial with Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kapil Mishra being named in invitations as one of the guests of honour at the event, and the publisher claiming it was not organising or sponsoring the event.

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

A copy of the invite, doing the rounds of social media, says that two other guests of honour are filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri and OpIndia editor Nupur Sharma. It adds that BJP’s national general secretary Bhupendra Yadav will launch the book.

Responding to the comments on social media about his role in the book launch, Mishra said: “Freedom of Expression ke thekedar ek kitab se darr gaye (the custodians of freedom of expression are getting scared of a book). Because they know this book will expose their lies and will bring the truth of Delhi riots.” He also tweeted about the event on Friday.

While Mishra has not been charged by the police, he delivered a speech ahead of the riots -- between pro- and anti Citizenship (Amendment) Act protestors 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 protestors from near the Jafrabad Metro station.

Sonali Chitalkar, one of the authors of the book took, to Twitter to urge people to read the book before criticising it . “The book is available for pre-order. I would love to debate side after you have read the book,” she tweeted. She also said that Mishra’s speech was unobjectionable.

“I have heard his speech. He has only told the police officials that if they did not clear the stretch occupied by anti-CAA protesters within two days, then they would take matters in their own hands. There is nothing inciting or objectionable in it. The police in its affidavit has found that Kapil Mishra’s speech did not incite the violence. Then what’s wrong in him being in the guest list?”

Monica Arora, another author of the book said the “messiahs of freedom of speech” are criticising a book even before it has released.

“No one has read the book, then how can anyone decide its tone or tenor? At least, read the book first and then we can have a debate.”

.While the book is being published by Bloomsbury India, the publishing house denied organising the launch event. “Bloomsbury India is publishing the book Delhi Riots 2020: The Untold Story by advocate Monica Arora, Sonali Chitalkar, Prerna Malhotra in September 2020. We are not organising any launch event for the book tomorrow and there are no events being planned yet. If you have come across any event information for the above book, please note it is not being organized or sponsored by Bloomsbury India,” read a statement from Bloomsbury India on Friday.

Senior advocate Rebecca John, who has represented several of those accused in various cases related to the Delhi riots said: “At least 53 people lost their lives in the riots and they deserve better than this. Those who made inciting speeches or were held responsible for the violence as per the account of several victims, should be investigated for their roles and not allowed to use platforms to further their agenda. Bloomsbury said that their logo was inappropriately used but the fact is that they published the book and this, to me, amounts to further lowering of standards in public life. “