Source: Asiana Times
In a multicultural country like India, it becomes very difficult to maintain perfect stability whether it’s about religion, politics, social issues, or even literature.
Sadly, hypocrisy and closed-minded attitudes are very common in our country which somehow makes the opinion of one person decides for all and the functioning also. One such example is Book censorship.
It is not a new phenomenon, books are burnt and banned for centuries. Freedom of speech was never considered a proper right. If they find something trashy, they are banned without any valid reason.
Here are some controversial books that are banned in India and their reasons:
The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
Source: Goodreads
This book by Salman Rushdie is considered the most controversial book ever. It was first banned in India followed by many other countries, especially Islamic countries.
According to the Muslim community, the Satanic Verses book is banned for insulting the legend of the Prophet Muhammad. The author made the word ‘fatwa’ popular in the literary community through this book. He got notoriety as writer and death threats also which made him live in hiding for nearly a decade.
The Polyester Prince: The Rise of Dhirubhai Ambani by Hamish McDonald
Source: Goodreads
Polyester Prince is the unofficial biography of Dhirubhai Ambani which was banned in 1988 before it was even printed. Harper Collins, the publisher got legal action from the Ambani family.
This book contains the power and the rise of Ambani, his hits and misses, and his successors, everything. Though this book is unavailable in India, you can find it on the net. Pirated books are also common.
An Area of Darkness by V.S. Naipaul
Source: Goodreads
This is the first book in Naipaul’s trilogy on India which was published in 1964. In this book, the author tells us about his experience when he traveled throughout India.
Naipaul’s style of writing is unsentimental and unflinching. He depicts India’s paralyzing caste system, poverty and squalor, and the conflict between his desire for self-determination and his nostalgia for the British raj. Because of all these things, it was banned in India as it didn’t please the Indian tourism board.
Lajja by Taslima Nasreen
Source: Goodreads
Lajja was written by a Bangladeshi author who is a member of the Fatwa clan. It provides the anti-Hindu riots which happened in the parts of Bangladesh soon after the demolition of Babri Masjid in India on 6 December 1992.
This book indicates how the Hindu minority of Bangladesh was not treated fairly. It was banned in Bangladesh as well as in West Bengal for being offensive to Muslims and insulting Islam.
The Price of Power by Seymour Hersh
Source: Goodreads
The Price of Power was banned as it suggested that Morarji Desai was a CIA informant. He was India’s former prime minister and was famed for drinking urine.
Through this book, the author accused Morarji Desai of supplying secrets to the CIA. As result, he sued a case against this madness in the US but it did not go well and he lost the case. Though, the Indian government banned this book following the allegations against Desai.
Shivaji: Hindu King in Islamic India by James Laine
Source: Goodreads
This book, published in 2003, was written by James Laine who is a highly respected scholar and had done some of his research at the Bhandarkar Institute of Oriental Research, Pune for this book.
No one anticipated that this book would create chaos in the state. The public was angry, they attacked the institute and in the process destroyed many precious manuscripts. That’s why it was banned in Maharashtra in 2007.
This book not only shows Shivaji’s life, his victories, his daring escapes, and his relationships with saints but also painted a complex picture of Hindu-Muslim relations.
Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence by Jaswant Singh
Source: Goodreads
Jaswant Singh, a prominent member of the BJP was criticized and expelled from his party at the time when he wrote this book. Instead of considering Jinnah as a nation breaker, this book is sympathetic toward him and objectively portrayed him.
In 2009, the Gujrat government banned this book not only for supporting Pakistan’s founding father Mohammed Ali Jinnah but also for criticizing the policies of Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel.
Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and His Struggle With India by Joseph Lelyveld
Source: Goodreads
Joseph Lelyveld was the Pulitzer Prize winner and former executive editor of The New York Times. He wrote a biography titled The Great Soul that is inspired by Gandhi's life in India and South Africa.
In April 2011, this book was banned in Gujrat, the hometown of Gandhi, as it exposed Gandhi's sexual life and bigoted views.
The Ramayana by Aubrey Menen
Source: Goodreads
An Irish-Indian satirist, Aubrey Menen reinterpreted the Hindu epic Ramayana. Due to this, it offended and angered many Hindu leaders as this book has constructed the epic in a very joyful and playful way. The Indian government banned this book in 1956 before it reached many people and will create problems in the country.
The Heart of India by Alexander Campbell
Source: Goodreads
Alexander Campbell wrote a fictional book titled The Heart of India which was published in 1958. This book was banned and not allowed to import into India as it was claimed to be repulsive. It mainly focused on India's economic policies.
Written by – Vipasha
Edited by - Kritika Sharma
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