RSS leader, W.B. Minister oppose attacks on book stalls set up by Left parties at Durga Puja pandals

West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta said that he cannot support what was happening in connection with book stalls. File | Photo Credit: PTI

As attacks over book stalls set up by Left parties near Durga Puja pandals continue in different parts of the State, a senior functionary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and a West Bengal Minister has come out openly criticising the move.

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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. Mr. Basu, the Saha Khetra Prachar Pramukh of South Bengal, said that “those intoxicated by power and using the police to close down book Stalls” do not understand the country and cannot call themselves Hindu.

The RSS functionary said that only in the case of illegality can the police take action; otherwise, the CPI(M), CPI and SUCI (Communist) should be allowed to have book stalls.

West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta also said that he cannot support what was happening in connection with book stalls. “I have been witnessing such stalls for 30-40 years. Not that they draw a lot of attention. But they set up stalls anyway. I do not support the hooliganism around book stalls in any way,” Mr. Dasgupta told Bengali TV news channel ABP Ananda.