Suvendu Adhikari told Left parties to sell books from their offices rather than outside Durga Puja pandals. His remarks sharpened the political row over vandalised stalls and the Chorbagan stampede response.
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Kolkata,Oct 20, 2026 20:20 IST
Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday said Left parties should sell books at their offices in West Bengal instead of setting up stalls during Durga Puja festivities, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
His remarks came after the CPI(M), SUCI and other Left parties alleged that their bookstalls had been vandalised at several places across the state during the festival.
“We are all book lovers and are not against books. But if you do not offer pushpanjali or attend the Navami aarti, accept religious symbols such as the sacred thread and tilak, and oppose Sanatani Hindu traditions, why should you set up bookstalls in front of Durga Puja pandals?” Adhikari told reporters, according to PTI.
The CPI(M) has moved the Calcutta High Court, alleging that the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the police tried to remove a temporary bookstall set up by the party in Jadavpur during the festivities.
Adhikari made the remarks outside the home of a person who died in a stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja in north Kolkata on October 17. Nineteen people died and 25 others were injured in the incident. He met the relatives of three victims on Tuesday and handed each bereaved family 25 lakh as compensation.
Referring to the CPI(M), Adhikari described it as a party that had lost relevance in West Bengal and said there was no need to make it politically relevant. “Those who do not believe in Durga Puja or other forms of worship, and do not accept the Vedas, Upanishads or the Bhagavad Gita, should not be allowed to sell books during Durga Puja,” he said.
“Anyone interested in Marxist philosophy can visit Left party offices and buy books. We believe in Indian philosophy, which is much richer. We believe in the philosophies of Subhas Chandra Bose and Swami Vivekananda. We view the Bhagavad Gita not merely as a religious text, but also as a source of scientific knowledge,” Adhikari said. He added that the Left parties had around 4,000 to 5,000 offices where they could sell books.
Adhikari also criticised the Left parties over the Chorbagan stampede, alleging that their leaders had neither visited the injured in hospital nor met the affected families. His comments linked the dispute over bookstalls during Durga Puja with his broader criticism of the Left parties’ position on the festival and their response to the stampede.
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