Hundreds of people marched through Kolkata’s College Street on Saturday carrying books, posters and banners in protest against recent attacks on bookstalls during the Durga Puja festivities. The gathering, called “Walk for books”, brought together citizens, publishers, academics, activists and political leaders in an unbannered demonstration in the city’s historic book district.
The march was organised in Boipara, the area widely known for its concentration of bookshops and publishing businesses. Participants walked with books held above their heads or close to their chests, while others sang, recited poems, played musical instruments and raised slogans. One banner read, “Books are our friends, walk for books.”
The protest followed repeated attacks on bookstalls run by Left parties at Durga Puja pandals across West Bengal. Senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sujan Chakraborty said at least 292 stalls had been vandalised. The Hindu’s report said several right-wing groups and Bharatiya Janata Party workers had been blamed for the attacks. The BJP denied the allegations and condemned the attacks, while Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari continued his verbal criticism of the bookstalls.
CPI(M) leaders Mohammad Salim, Sujan Chakraborty and Biman Bose attended the march. CPI(M) leader Satarup Ghosh said the nature of the protest reflected the nature of the alleged attack. He said many participants had no connection with Left ideology but had joined because of their attachment to books. The march therefore extended beyond the political groups that operated the targeted stalls.
Publishers and academics were also among those taking part. Subrata Das, publisher and owner of Setu Publication, described the gathering as an organic march involving people between eight and 80 years old. He said that, as a book lover and publisher, he considered it his responsibility to participate.
A research scholar from Jadavpur University, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the alleged attack on books represented an attempt to restrict education and questioning. That claim was expressed by the participant and is not an independently established finding in the supplied report.
The call for the march was signed by several prominent figures in West Bengal, including academician Pabitra Sarkar, former MP Jawhar Sircar, journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, actor Sabyasachi Chakraborty and playwright Chandan Sen. The organisers kept the event free of political banners despite the participation of senior Left leaders.
The attacks also increased public attention around the stalls, according to the report. Chakraborty said solidarity from citizens and political leaders had helped push sales at the stalls above ₹1.5 crore. Left party leaders have said they will establish more bookstalls as a form of protest. The march ended with the participants’ public defence of book selling and reading in Kolkata’s College Street precinct.
