Book stalls at Durga Puja pandals bear the brunt of Left versus Right face-off in West Bengal
The crackdown of the book stalls of Left parties is part of the politics that has emerged in the State after the BJP government came to power in May 2026. Enthused with its electoral triumph and the complete dismantling of Trinamool Congress organisation, the BJP has to invent a new political adversary and it has focused on targeting the Left parties.
Book stalls at Durga Puja pandals have become a target of the political divide between the Left and Right in West Bengal. In Kolkata's Tollygunge area, Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Secretary Md. Salim inaugurated a book stall, which has seen a 20% increase in sales this year. The BJP government, triumphant after its electoral victory in May 2026, has sought to create a new political adversary and has targeted Left parties.
The restrictions and attacks on these stalls have become a significant flashpoint in West Bengal politics. Left parties claim they are under attack, while the BJP defends the crackdown as a move to preserve their political agenda.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
