Left parties should sell books from party offices, not at Durga Puja pandals, says West Bengal CM

Amidst the ongoing controversy surrounding attacks on book stalls of Left parties at Durga Puja pandals, West Bengal Chief Minister on Tuesday (October 20, 2026) said that Left parties should sell books from their party offices in the State instead of setting up book stalls at Durga Puja pandals.

Also Read: Left parties allege attack on bookstalls; Calcutta High Court stays previous order allowing stalls

“Those who do not believe in Durga Pujas or any other Pujas, it is better that they should not be allowed to sell books during Durga Puja. Keep the books inside your party offices, make a library and sell books from there. There are 4,000 to 5,000 party offices like palaces in the State and all of them are open,” Mr. Adhikari said.

The Chief Minister tried to emphasise that since Left parties do not believe in Hindu festivals and rituals they should not have book stalls at Durga Puja pandals.

While Mr. Adikari said that no one should take law in their hands, he said all the action by the administration was as per directions of Calcutta High Court. The remarks by the Chief Minister come at a time after a section of leaders of his own party condemned attacks on the book stalls set up by the Left parties at Durga Puja pandals.

On Monday (October 19), Jishnu Basu, a prominent RSS leader from West Bengal, said that there is no valour in vandalising book stalls and those indulging in such acts are cowards. West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta had also said that he cannot support what was happening in connection with the Left parties’ book stalls. West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya denied involvement of any party worker in the vandalism of book stalls and said that action will be taken against if any from the party is responsible in the vandalism.

Book stalls set up by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and SUCI (Communist) have been attacked in various parts of the state including in the city. On October 17, supporters of Left parties formed a human chain to prevent a bulldozer to raze down a temporary book stall in Kolkata’s Jadavapur area.

The CPI(M) had moved the Calcutta High Court, alleging that authorities of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and police attempted to remove a temporary bookstall set up by the party in Jadavpur during the Durga Puja festivities. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday refused to interfere in a case by the CPI(M) over attempts by the police to remove a temporary book stall set up by the party in Jadavpur during the Durga Puja festivities. The court had said that a division bench of the High Court had already dealt with the matter in connection with a temporary book stall at Bongaon. While a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court had allowed the stall at Bongaon, a division bench led by Chief Justice R.V. Ghuge had stayed the order.

Senior leaders of the Left parties had held a press conference alleging a clampdown on the book stalls across the State. West Bengal CPI(M) State Secretary Md. Salim said that the books are just an excuse the party in power has decided a crackdown on anything related to education and culture.