Kolkata book fair allots stall to VHP in surprise move

VHP granted stall at Kolkata Book Fair after court dismissal, sparking controversy over stall allotment criteria.

Hours after the Calcutta High Court dismissed a petition by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), seeking a stall at the International Kolkata Book Fair this year, organisers of the fair in a surprise move allotted them a stall on Saturday (January 25, 2025), under their monthly magazine’s name.

The VHP had petitioned the court after the book fair organisers, the Publishers and Booksellers Guild, had initially turned down their application for the allotment of a stall. On Friday, a single-judge Bench of the Calcutta High Court pronounced a judgement dismissing VHP’s plea for a stall at the book fair. 

“It is not the case that if the petitioners are not allotted any stall in the fair, then their right to business or their freedom of speech or expression will be infringed in any manner… It does not appear that the Guild is infringing upon any of the rights of the petitioners as it is not standing in the way of the petitioners from publishing their books or newspapers,” the order had said.

However, on Saturday, vice-president of VHP Dakshinbanga Dilip Kumar Jhawar told The Hindu: “We lost the court battle, but on Saturday, members of the guild informed us that we have been allotted a stall in the name of our monthly publication Visva Hindu Varta.”

According to him, Visva Hindu Varta, the monthly magazine of the VHP, is registered under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867. It carries writings on religious history and current affairs and documents activities of the VHP. 

Mr. Jhawar added that although they had sought a stall space of 700 sq.ft., they have been allotted 200 sq.ft. in stall number 249 of the 48th International Kolkata Book Fair, slated to be held from January 28 to February 9 at Boimela Prangan in Kolkata’s Salt Lake. 

The same was confirmed by Tridib Chatterjee, president of the Publishers and Booksellers Guild which organises the International Kolkata Book Fair.