Congress demands protection of right to read after ‘Malala’ book-reading clash in Ahmedabad

The Gujarat unit of Congress on Aug 29 condemned the alleged assault on participants at a book-reading session in Ahmedabad’s Vastrapur area and called for the protection of the right to read, hold discussions and express views peacefully in public places.

The reaction came a day after the local police arrested three people and booked around 20 in connection with the violence that broke out during a reading session at AUDA Garden on Thursday evening.

Police said six people had been identified through CCTV footage so far and that further investigation is under way.

Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee media convener and spokesperson Dr Manish Doshi criticised the alleged confrontation involving people linked to the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), saying the incident was not merely a law-and-order issue but also raised concerns over freedom of thought and expression.

“Reading a book is not a crime, thinking is not a crime and asking questions is not sedition. Disagreements in a democracy should be addressed through discussion," he said.

He added, "A book should be answered with a book, an idea with an idea and a difference of opinion with discussion, not with sticks and mob rule."

Doshi referred to Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression, and demanded that the right to read, discuss and express views peacefully in public places be protected.

He also alleged that the RSS-BJP ideology is being used for what he described as “ideological policing”. He claimed that opposition to people reading is ultimately linked to concerns about people questioning authority.

The police case relates to a reading session held on August 27, where participants had gathered to read 'I Am Malala' by Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, 'The Diary of a Young Girl' by Anne Frank and works by other writers.

The session was organised after a controversy at a local school, where books by Yousafzai and Anne Frank were removed from the compulsory reading list following protests by right-wing groups. The school subsequently made the books optional.

According to police, around 20 people confronted the participants over the reading of Yousafzai’s book, following which an altercation took place.

Two people sustained minor injuries, while three accused were arrested.

An FIR was registered against two named accused and around 18 unidentified people under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections relating to unlawful assembly, rioting and assault.

Police Inspector Gita Chaudhary said, "Investigators are examining CCTV footage and recording statements to establish the role of others allegedly involved in the incident. Six people had been identified so far."

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