Frustration of Communal Elements

New Delhi

Some communal elements attached to Sangh pariwar caused disturbances in the literary exhibition organized by Janchetna, one of the leading distributor of progressive literature on occasion of birth centenary year of Shahid Bhagat Singh in Mathura and burned copies of labour newspaper Bigul.

Strongly condemning the incident, Janchetna & Rahul foundation demanded stern action against those communal elements.

Yesterday afternoon in the ongoing book exhibition organized by Janchetna at the gate of BSA Degree College, some people came there claiming themselves to be related to Sangh Pariwar and started creating disturbance over the news of Gujarat elections published in the December edition of Bigul paper. They were threatening that those who are propagating against Hindutva will be dealt with more badly than Muslims in Gujarat and Christians in Orissa. In spite of intervention made by a teacher & students of the college, they continued their vandalism and burned all the copies of Bigul.

They tried to destroy the books viz. Why I am an Atheist & Jati Dharma ke Jhagade Chodo aur Sahi Ladai se nata Jodo written by Bhagat Singh and other books of S/Shri Radha Mohan Gokul & Rahul Sankrityayan in the exhibition. They tried to damage the exhibition vehicle and threatened to burn it.

After the meeting of representatives of local residents with Sr. Police Officer of Mathura today, SSP lodged a FIR and ordered further action in the matter.

In the meantime, a memorandum has been sent to Ms. Mayawati, Chief Minister of UP & Union home Minister stating that “it is clearly understood by the attitude of communal elements targeting and creating disturbances at the mobile book exhibitions of Janchetna every where, that all these are going on under well planned conspiracy.”

On the occasion of Bhagat Singh birth centenary year, Janchetna is organizing mobile book exhibitions of progressive and revolutionary literature in the whole hindi belt. People attached to Bajrang Dal, VHP & Sangh Parwar has been continuously threatening and trying to create disturbance in these mobile exhibitions.

In Meerut on 11 October 2007, Bajrang Dal activists created disturbances over the books of Bhagat Singh, Radha Mohan Gokul, Rahul Sankrityayan published by Rahul Foundation and other anti communal books & papers and even lodged false complaints in police. Activists of Sangh Pariwar have been continuously threatening and causing disturbances in Janchetna exhibitions organized in Muzaffarnagar, Hapur, Moradabad in UP and Jaipur also. Last November, some people threatened to send Bajrang Dal activists at the book exhibition organized in Rohini, Delhi.

Chairperson of Janchetna & known writer Ms. Katyayni has said that the mission of Janchetna & Rahul Foundation to provide progressive, pro-people and revolutionary literature at the door steps of common man can not be stopped by this type of vandalism. She said that these types of activities show the peevishness of communal & fascist powers. This mission will now be further speeded up. She appealed to all the pro people writers, Journalists, publishers, social activists & people’s organizations to condemn these cowardly attacks on Janchetna.