Months after the Delhi University stopped sale and distribution of late historian Bipan Chandra’s book on India’s freedom struggle, the National Book Trust (NBT) has stirred up a hornet’s nest by deciding not to reprint the Hindi edition of the eminent historian’s book Communalism – A Primer .
The previous book had run into rough weather over objections to the use of the term 'revolutionary terrorist' for freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.
Significantly, Prof. Chandra was chairman of NBT some years back and had also authored the NCERT's Class 12 textbook Modern India that was in circulation from the 1970s, till it was replaced by the Vajpayee government.
A statement by eminent scholars all over India against the NBT’s move is already in the works.
“A large number of intellectuals are about to speak out against such intolerance to difference of opinion. This comes after Prof. Chandra's book India’s Struggle for Independence was targeted.
“He consistently spoke against communalism and his books are being targeted for this reason,” historian Mridula Mukherjee, co-author of India’s Struggle for Independence , said. “Prof. Chandra’s view of nationalism was very different from the communal view of it.”
Sources in the NBT, however, refused to see the step as ideologically motivated.
‘A routine process’“This is a routine process. We routinely analyse the present status of books to take a call as to whether they be reprinted. Prof. Chandra’s book is just one in relation to which we have decided not to order reprinting,” the source said.
“The move is independent of ideology. It is also not as if any such book is taken off forever. This is our present assessment and holds true for now.”
