A day after activists of a right wing group ransacked the Jan Chetna book store run by the leftist organisation Naujawan Bharat Sabha at Punjabi Bhawan here and manhandling the volunteers at the store, several Leftist organisations today laid a siege to the Division No. 5 police station and demanded action against the assailants.
It all began when a group of Hindutva goons ransacked Janchetna — an institution dedicated to promote and propagate progressive literature — in Ludhiana on January 2, 2017. They also abused and misbehaved with the book shop manager Binny and manhandled other activists who came to her rescue. They even threatened to put the books on fire. More disturbing, however, was the fact that all this happened in the presence of police which remained a mute spectator to this fascist attack which lasted for two hours.
Later, Anand of the Jan Chetana book store alleged that, instead of arresting the goons, the police took the activists present there — Binny, Janchetna book shop manager, Lakhwinder , President of Textiles Hosiery Kamgar Union, Gurjeet (Samar), an activist of Karkhana Mazdoor Union and Satbir Naujawan Bharat Sabha activists — into custody and sealed the shop. However, due to people’s pressure the activists were soon released and a demonstration of various mass organisations and trade unions compelled the police to let the book shop reopen.
Media reports claimed that 21-year-old Shivani had been visiting the store to read literature pertaining to Shaheed Bhagat Singh and other freedom fighters. The literature had influenced her so much that she had left her home. Her parents, along with right wing people, yesterday reached the store and complained that their daughter had left home because the Jan Chetna volunteers were inculcating revolutionary ideology in her, thus making her to leave her home.
There were vociferous protests by trade unions and people’s organisations. Today’s protest was led by Lakhwinder, president of the Textile Hosiery Kamgar Union. Members of several other unions took part in the protest. He alleged that the Jan Chetna store was selling revolutionary, democratic and freedom struggle literature which was already available in the market. “Instead of taking action against the right wing members, we were rounded up by the police and kept at the police station for more than two hours. We have been assured by the ACP-West that an inquiry into the case has been marked. If no action is taken by the police within 24 hours, we will again gherao the police station,” he added.
Yesterday, the police had also sealed the store. However, they returned the keys to the authorities today and the book store reopened, he added.
The chief spokesperson for right wing organisation Shri Hindu Takht, Rohit Sahni, told the media that they were approached by the girl’s parents with a complaint that the Jan Chetna store was providing revolutionary literature to her daughter due to which she wanted to leave home. ”We immediately went to the store along with the parents. The police also seized the banned revolutionary literature, forcing revolutionary thoughts on the youth and making them anti-Hindu. Our complaint has been sent to the DA (Legal) by the police. An FIR under section 295-A of the IPC could be registered against the Jan Chetna store,” he added.
He also alleged that the case of Shivani was not an isolated one and there could be several other youngsters who were being forced by Jan Chetna to adopt revolutionary ideology and leave home.
The ACP-West, Varinderjit Singh, said both parties had submitted their respective complaints and an inquiry into both complaints would be conducted by the SHO.
Goons owing allegiance to the ideology of Hindutva lodged a complaint to the police that Janchetna was “brainwashing the youth” by promoting “Anti-Hindu literature” and “propagating anti-India ideology among youth”. They also submitted some literature such as “Why I am an Atheist” by Bhagat Singh and “Ishwar ka Bahishkar” by Radha Mohan Gokulji to the police and demanded that an FIR be lodged against Janchetna for “promoting atheism” and “hurting religious sentiments”.
It was after this incident, some mass organisations had given a call to protest. On January 3, hundreds of youth, students, workers and democratic rights activists took out a rally and laid a siege to the police station division number 5 Ludhiana to protest against the attack by the Hindutva goons and the police inaction. The protestors demanded that strict action be taken against the goons and also the policemen who were present at the spot.
The siege ended after the ACP asked for 24 hours of time to take action against the attackers. The protest demonstration forced the police to return the keys of bookshop to the Janchetna representatives.
The organisation which took part in the demonstration included Textile Hosiery Kamgar Union, Punjab Students Union, Naujawan Bharat Sabha, Inquilabi Kender Punjab, Democratic Employees Front, Tarksheel Society Punjab, Lok Ekta Sangathan, Molder and steel Workers Union, Democratic Lawyers Association etc.
This incident is in continuation of the increasing attack on the rational thoughts and freedom of expression being carried out by the forces of Hindutva with increasing regularity ever since the Modi government has come to power. It is particularly dangerous because the Hindu fundamentalists have had little support base in Punjab compared to other parts of the country. As this incident shows, they are spreading their tentacles in Punjab as well. Clearly, grass root mobilisation against such tends is the need of the hour. This incident shows yet again that the fascist forces are afraid of revolutionary, democratic and rational ideas. Janchetna will carry on the task of promoting and propagating the literature containing such ideas.
In Kerala, on the eve of the state assembly elections, a people’s library with precious manuscripts had been burned down by persons belonging to the RSS. The Violent Attack on Thought and Discussion Through the Violent Act of Burning Down a Library was Met with a Unique Peaceful Resistance, in Kerala ! Within less than a month, the burned down Library that had 5,000 books was re-opened with a people's contribution of over 15,000 Books!
Interview of Janchetna book shop manager Binny describing the event
