Who is afraid of books in Uttarakhand?, ‘Kitab Kauthig’ (Book Fair) cancelled due to pressure from ruling dispensation
Who is afraid of books in Uttarakhand?, ‘Kitab Kauthig’ (Book Fair) cancelled due to pressure from ruling dispensation
S.M.A.KAZMI
Dehradun, Feb 13
Who is afraid of books? It seems that after targeting minority Muslim community in Garhwal hills , the right wing organisations who rule the state, have now come out openly against books probably they want the younger population to be confined to its’ ‘Whatsapp University’.
A popular “Kitab Kauthing” (Book fair ) which was scheduled to be held at Srinagar Garhwal, from February 15 and 16 ,2025 stand cancelled. In the past, “Kitab Kauthig” had been held at 12 places successfully in the smaller town and cities of Uttarakhand where books of all hues are put for readers to select, read and benefit. The 13th edition of the book fair was to be held at Srinagar Garhwal, the centre of Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal Central University.
Hem Pant, organiser of the “Kitab Kauthig” said that firstly written permission to hold the fair on the university campus was taken in collaboration with the department of Library science of the university. But due to objection of the student wing of the ruling party it was later orally conveyed about the inability off the authorities to grant such a permission due to certain pressure from ‘above’. “ It was not a political show and books of all hues are being showcased for readers to choose and inculcate a habit ofb reading amongst youngstters,” said Hem Pant.
The organisers then took permission to hold the fair at Ramleela ground, Srinagar but which was later orally withdrawn. A similar permission for a third venue was also withdrawn putting the organisers in a quandary, who decided to cancel the book fair on February 11.
As the posters of the “Kitab Kauthig’ to be held at Ramleela ground were put up the student organisation of the ruling party pasted their own posters on those posters declaring holding of their own programme at Ramleela ground on February 16. “ We had invited famous Garhwali singer Narendra Singh Negi and Padam Shri Basanti Bisht, a famous ‘Jagar’ singer for the ‘Kitab Kauthig’ and requested the said organisations to allow us to hold our book fair on February 15 but they declined,” said Hem Pant.
Apart from being afraid of the books, probably, the ruling dispensation seems to be unhappy with Narendra Singh Negi who gave his blessings in the recently concluded civic elections to some candidates other than ruling BJP. Interestingly, during the Tewari regime when Narendra Singh Negi had come up with much publicised video “Nauchhami Narayan” (Naughty Narayan]_on the going on’s of the then Congress regime was thoroughly exploited during the 2007 state assembly election campaign by the BJP.
It was believed that the ‘Sangh Parivar’ affiliates who are ruling the roost in Uttarakhand had reportedly objection to books on left literature and Baba Sahib Ambedkar being displayed in the book fair.
