SAHMAT's statement on NBT's decision to revoke reprint of Bipan Chandra's book

Recently, National Book Trust (NBT), India has decided to revoke the reprint of Hindi version of historian Bipan Chandra’s book Communalism: A Primer.

Here is the official statement of Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT) on Trust’s move:

SAHMAT

Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust

29, Feroze Shah Road,New Delhi-110001

Telephone- 23381276/ 23070787

[email protected]

sahmat.org
Date 7.9.2016

Statement on Bipan Chandra’s Book

Professor Bipan Chandra was not only one of India’s foremost historians, but also one of the most uncompromising defenders of the secular and democratic cause in this country. As Chairman of the National Book Trust (NBT), he breathed a new life into it.

We have been shocked to learn that the very National Book Trust over which he had presided, has revoked the reprint order for the Hindi version of his book, Communalism – a Primer; and it is reported that the English and Urdu versions of the book are also being withdrawn.

Such action on part of the NBT is a gross violation of freedom of views, and amounts in effect to the assumption that communalism is now the official doctrine of the country and no criticism of it or its practitioners can be permitted.

As academics and citizens we fear that such actions as that of the NBT in respect of Bipan Chandra’s book portend the imposition of an authoritarian regime. We, therefore, demand that the NBT remove its ban on Communalism-a Primer and continue to reprint and publish it.

Signatories