VHP Denied Stall at Kolkata Book Fair

Kolkata – The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has been denied permission to set up a stall at the upcoming Kolkata International Book Fair. The decision was made by a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Friday, rejecting the VHP's appeal against the Publishers & Booksellers Guild's rejection of their application.

Justice Amrita Sinha, who presided over the case, cited procedural irregularities in the VHP's petition against the Guild. The court also questioned the admissibility of the petition itself, given the Guild's status as a private entity.

This decision follows the court's earlier rejection of a similar plea from the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR). Justice Sinha had previously stated that the APDR's petition lacked standing as the book fair is a private event, not a state-run affair.

The Kolkata International Book Fair, scheduled for January 28 to February 9, will feature Germany as its focal theme country. With over 1,050 book stalls, the fair will host publishers from countries including the UK, the US, France, Italy, Spain, Peru, Argentina, and Colombia. However, no publishers from Bangladesh have confirmed their participation.

The annual event, inaugurated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, draws inspiration from the Frankfurt Book Fair, the world's first, established in 1949.