BOOKS UNDER ATTACK, LEFT WORKERS ASSAULTED: CPI(M) ALLEGES GROWING CAMPAIGN OF INTIMIDATION ACROSS BENGAL
October 21, 2026
KOLKATA, OCTOBER 21: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has alleged that attacks on its temporary book stalls during Durga Puja celebrations are continuing across West Bengal, with the latest incident reported from Islampur in Uttar Dinajpur district, where several party members were allegedly assaulted and books damaged.
According to CPI(M) leaders, the attack took place on Tuesday night. Jayanta Deb, a local party member, was among those injured. The party has demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible for the incident.
Police said the situation in Islampur was under control and that a strict vigil was being maintained in the area. However, the incident has added to a series of disputes over Left-affiliated book stalls traditionally established near Durga Puja pandals to distribute and sell books during the festive season.
The CPI(M) has alleged that right-wing groups, including the Bajrang Dal and other saffron organisations, have targeted its stalls in different parts of the state over the past several days. The party has also reported incidents involving stalls belonging to other Left organisations. These allegations have not been independently established in every case.
The reported attacks and dismantling of stalls have extended beyond Islampur to areas including Barasat, Malda and the North and South 24-Parganas districts, according to the report. Kolkata, too, has witnessed a confrontation over the presence of Left-affiliated book stalls.
In Jadavpur, south Kolkata, a prolonged stand-off between Left supporters and police lasted from Saturday evening into Sunday morning. Police and officials from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation arrived with a bulldozer to remove a temporary stall. Despite resistance led by CPI(M) leaders Sudip Sengupta and Srijan Bhattacharya, stalls affiliated with the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) and the Association for Democratic Rights and Protection were eventually demolished.
In some other locations, the administration has removed temporary stalls on the grounds that they lacked the necessary permissions. These actions have added a separate administrative dimension to the dispute, alongside the allegations of politically motivated vandalism and assaults.
The controversy has also unfolded against the backdrop of a directive issued last month by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. He had instructed Durga Puja committees not to permit CPI(M) book stalls if their banners or hoardings used the term “Sharodotsav” instead of “Durga Puja” to identify the festival.
BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya has repeatedly said that his party does not support acts of vandalism by its members.
The latest incident has renewed questions about the space available for political and ideological expression during public festivals. For the Left parties, the book stalls represent an established opportunity to distribute literature and engage with the public; the reported attacks and removals have now become a source of political confrontation.
With the CPI(M) demanding arrests in the Islampur case and police maintaining that the situation is under control, attention will turn to whether those responsible for the alleged assault and destruction of books are identified and whether the wider disputes over book stalls can be resolved without further confrontation.
