Full Breakdown
West Bengal’s Durga Puja Book-Stall Dispute Escalates Amid Legal and Political Tensions
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Book Stall Dispute During Durga Puja
The comment came after a series of attacks on book stalls run by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] and the Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) across the state.
Background & Context
Left parties have traditionally set up temporary book stalls during the nine-day Durga Puja celebrations. In October 17 2026, supporters formed a human chain in Kolkata’s Jadavpur area to block a bulldozer that municipal officials had brought to dismantle a CPI(M) stall. Earlier, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court had stayed a single-judge order that permitted a stall at Bongaon, indicating ongoing judicial scrutiny of such installations.
Official Statements & Responses
Chief Minister Adhikari emphasized that the administration’s actions followed the Calcutta High Court’s directions. Justice Partha Pratim Roy of the Calcutta High Court rejected the CPI(M)’s petition for protection, stating the party had not demonstrated that it possessed the required permission to operate the stall. The court noted that the CPI(M) had deposited Rs 3,208 with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation on September 19 2026 but that police approval was still pending.
CPI(M) State Secretary Md. Salim claimed the book-stall issue was “just an excuse” for a broader crackdown on education and culture. The party’s Jadavpur 1 Area Committee asserted that it had run a stall at the Jadavpur Coffee House for 49 years and planned a 16-foot-by-20-foot installation from October 13 to October 22 2026.
Criticism & Opposition
RSS leader Jishnu Basu condemned the vandalism, calling those who destroy stalls “cowards.” Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta said he could not support the attacks on the Left’s stalls. BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya denied any party involvement and warned that action would be taken against any BJP members found responsible.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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