‘How Dare They’: RSS, Swapan Dasgupta Condemn Vandalism At Left Book Stalls In Bengal

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and West Bengal finance minister Swapan Dasgupta have condemned the vandalism of Left book stalls in the state, as the incidents triggered a political row over alleged attacks on stalls set up near Durga Puja pandals.

The incidents took place on Monday after days of dispute over book stalls organised by Left parties. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M), and other Left parties have alleged that the stalls were targeted by Right-wing groups.

“The RSS never supports such vandalism and destruction of books. We condemn such acts of cowardice. All people have the right to express views,” Jishnu Basu, prachar pramukh of the RSS's east zonal unit, told Hindustan Times.

Basu said the RSS had not identified those involved in the incidents. “We have not been able to identify these people. We don't know who sent them,” he said, referring to videos circulating online from Kolkata and other districts.

Dasgupta also condemned the attacks, saying they had made him “hang my head in shame”.

“I have been a staunch critic of the Left all my life and continue to be so. But that does not mean someone can stop the Left parties from displaying or selling their books. Who are these vandals?” he told the media.

Stalls And Allegations

The stalls were set up by the CPI(M), the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the CPI(ML) Liberation.

Since last week, the parties have alleged that stalls near community Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata and other districts were either vandalised by Hindutva groups or removed by police citing a lack of permission.

The Left has rejected the RSS and the minister's distancing from the incidents.

“Jishnu Basu and Swapan Dasgupta are trying to be naive. These acts of vandalism started under the patronage of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari said in the assembly that he would not allow these book stalls unless we met his conditions,” CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said.

The BJP denied any involvement. “The BJP is not involved in any of these incidents,” party spokesperson Sayantan Basu said.

Adhikari's Remark At Centre Of Row

The controversy has also drawn attention to a remark made by Adhikari in the state legislative assembly on September 10.

The chief minister had said he would ask community Durga Puja committees to allow book stalls run by the CPI(M) and other Left parties only if they referred to the festival as Durga Puja rather than Sharodotsav. Bengal's communists have traditionally used the term Sharodotsav in keeping with their atheist beliefs.

Videos that surfaced after the vandalism purportedly showed those involved claiming they were acting on Adhikari's orders. The videos prompted a sharp reaction from Dasgupta, who said, “How dare they carry out vandalism in our name!”

The incidents have also drawn criticism of the BJP, which came to power in West Bengal five months ago. The party has spent years trying to connect with Bengali-speaking voters by invoking the state's writers, scientists, freedom fighters and educationists.

Stampede And Solidarity

The row intensified after a stampede at Kolkata's Chore Bagan Durga Puja pandal on Saturday killed 19 people.

The CPI(M) alleged that, hours after the tragedy, police attempted to use a bulldozer to demolish one of its book stalls in Jadavpur, in south Kolkata. Police did not comment on the allegation.

Support for the stall also came from outside the Left. All India Trinamool Congress legislator Kunal Ghosh visited the Jadavpur stall on Sunday to express solidarity and bought a book on Biman Bose, a CPI(M) veteran and former Left Front chairman.