NBT revokes reprinting orders of Bipan Chandra's Communalism, a primer.

NEW DELHI: The National Book Trust which was once chaired by well known historian Prof Bipan Chandra, is learnt to have revoked reprinting orders of the Hindi version of his book - Communalism, a primer.
The move has sparked a controversy with a number of historians and academics today issuing a statement terming it ‘ a gross violation of freedom of views’ that ‘amounts in effect to the assumption that communalism is now the official doctrine of the country and no criticism of it or its practitioners can be permitted.’.

NBT Chairman Baldev Sharma when contacted confirmed the revocation of Hindi reprints of the book but claimed that this was routine procedure with no motive behind it.

“This is a regular exercise. Some reprints are held back for some time and then at a later stage resumed again. There is no motive behind it. Reprints of several books are revoked and resumed. There is no motive behind any of that too. We don't work like that at all. One of his books was also withdrawn by Delhi University also. Every organisation follows a certain process”, Sharma told ET.

In a statement issued by the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT) signed by historians Romila Thapar, Irfan Habib, activist Harsh Mander, former ICHR Member Secretary Gopinath Ravindran among others, the NBT has been lambasted for stamping out the legacy of the very man who presided over it.

“We have been shocked to learn that the very National Book Trust over which he had presided, has revoked the reprint order for the Hindi version of his book, Communalism - a Primer; and it is reported that the English and Urdu versions of the book are also being withdrawn”, says the statement.

“As academics and citizens we fear that such actions as that of the NBT in respect of Bipan Chandra’s book portend the imposition of an authoritarian regime. We, therefore, demand that the NBT remove its ban on Communalism-a Primer and continue to reprint and publish it”, the statement adds.