Protest against display of novel at book exhibition

THRISSUR: Attempts have been made to block a book exhibition of DC Books at the Paramekkavu temple auditorium here over the ‘Meesha’ novel controversy in which the publishers were involved.


The exhibition was scheduled to begin on Saturday and the organizers had even paid the rent for the venue. However, three days ago, the devaswom contacted the publisher saying that they were withdrawing permission following objections from certain sections within the devaswom.

The protesters were demanding that the auditorium should not play host to any event which have anti-Hindu content. They were primarily demanding that the novel ‘Meesha’ should not be sold there and that no events with anti-Hindu content should be held as part of the book exhibition, according to the publishers.

The publishers then had to give an undertaking to the devaswom that they would not sell any controversial book. The letter signed by DC Books manager M Dineeshkumar assures that the publishers would not hold any book release or seminars or literary discussions during the exhibition.

Devaswom president Satheesh Menon said the permission was later reinstated following the assurance by the publishers.

Sources said that intervention by several influential people, including a minister in the state cabinet, had persuaded the devaswom to restore the permission to hold exhibition.

However, when the publishing house staff tried to shift the books to the auditorium on Friday evening, some people, including a few former office-bearers of the devaswom, objected. The publishers then had to approach the police for protection.

There were also attempts to stop the exhibition when it began on Saturday. The protesters gathered demanded that the publishers display a flex board near the venue declaring that no anti-Hindu or anti-temple event would be held at the venue. However, the publishers did not accept this.

Subsequently, the police took 10 persons into custody on charges of attempting to block the exhibition. They were later released on bail, according to East police station CI K C Sethu.

The publishers withdrew the police complaint after the devaswom assured that there would be no further disturbances. According to Satheesh Menon, the publishers have also assured that they would not sell Meesha at the exhibition.

DC Books officials, meanwhile, said that the novel is anyway out of print.

Author S Hareesh had earlier withdrawn the novel while it was being serialized in a

Malayalam

weekly, following protests from Hindutwa sections.


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