CPI(M) Bookstalls in West Bengal Record Sales of Over Rs 1 Crore Despite Attacks

Kolkata: Bookstalls set up by the CPI(M) in West Bengal as part of Durga Puja celebrations have recorded record sales, with books worth more than Rs 1 crore sold in just 12 districts. The sales figure is expected to rise further once data from 11 more districts becomes available.

The record sales came despite widespread attacks and attempts to demolish the bookstalls. Left-wing organisations in Bengal have been setting up bookstalls during Durga Puja for decades. This year, the CPI(M) opened more than 1,000 temporary bookstalls across West Bengal.

Senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said 292 bookstalls had been attacked. He alleged that BJP and RSS workers were behind the attacks. The violence did not affect book sales; instead, more people came forward to buy books, he said.

Chakraborty added that people had mounted strong resistance against the attacks on the bookstalls and asserted that such violence could not destroy Bengal's reading culture.

On October 17, an attempt was made to demolish one of the CPI(M)'s major bookstalls in Jadavpur, south Kolkata, using a bulldozer. The attempt was abandoned after Left leaders and local residents stood in front of the bulldozer to block it.

Another incident was reported at a bookstall in Nagarbazar, north Kolkata, where a copy of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel Pather Dabi was torn apart. Footage of the incident emerged, including a video showing an elderly man pleading with a young man not to destroy the book.

After the footage circulated on social media, many people visited the bookstalls to express solidarity, bought books and shared their experiences and protests against the attacks online. This led to an increase in book sales.

Chakraborty described the developments as a battle between bulldozers and books, saying people had rallied behind the books.

Trinamool Congress MLA Kunal Ghosh and West Bengal Congress president Shubhankar Sarkar also visited bookstalls that had been attacked.

The sale of books worth more than Rs 1 crore despite the attacks reflects public support for the Left in Bengal.