A conglomerate of publishers, printers and booksellers aligned with the Sangh Parivar has brought together more than 700 representatives of the publishing sector in a bid to hold next year's International Kolkata Book Fair free from the control of the previous organisers backed by the Trinamool Congress.
The Bangiyo Granthashilpa Parishad will organise a programme at Mahajati Sadan in Calcutta on June 29 to celebrate the birth anniversary of noted author Buddhadeb Guha.
At the event, over 700 representatives of publishers, printers and booksellers will discuss issues related to the book fair. They will also devise a road map to hold next year's book fair free from the shackles of the Publishers and Booksellers Guild.
The book fair, popularly known as the Kolkata Boi Mela, is usually held every February by the Guild. Next year will mark its 50th edition.
"We want the 50th Kolkata Book Fair to be open to everyone, free from all forms of reservation and monopoly by any particular group. Though the June 29 event is being organised to celebrate the birth anniversary of the popular author Buddhadeb Guha, all participants will have the liberty to express their opinions," said Debjit Sarkar, one of the convenors of Bangiyo Granthashilpa Parishad.
Saptarshi Chowdhury, a member of the organisation, said: "More than 700 publishers and people associated with the book industry will take part in the celebration of Buddhadeb Guha's birth anniversary."
BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya and RSS purba kshetra prachar Pramukh Jisnu Basu and poet Binayak Bandyopadhyay are likely to attend and address the programme on Monday.
During the Trinamool Congress regime, the BJP raised multiple complaints against the organisers of the Kolkata Book Fair, alleging that publishers not endorsed by the then ruling party were not allowed to participate in the event. The BJP had also alleged that the fair had become a mouthpiece of the previous Mamata Banerjee government.
Many publishers have claimed that over the past 15 years, members of just two or three publishing houses dominated the organising body and maintained a monopoly, denying space to those who voiced dissent against the Mamata Banerjee government.
Sarkar, the convenor of the outfit, aligned with the Sangh Parivar, has said the book fair should not be confined to any particular group, as there are many organisations like the Guild in Calcutta and elsewhere in Bengal.
"Though it is called the Kolkata Book Fair, we want it to become Bengal's Book Fair. There should be no monopoly, because books are an integral part of Bengal's culture and the publishing industry provides livelihoods to thousands of people in different capacities. We have to ensure that the people of Bengal feel that this is their own fair," he said.
"We can say the Guild is one organisation, but there are 13 or 14 other publishers' organisations in the College Street area. We want organisations working in the districts to also get priority at the 50th edition of the book fair," Sarkar added.
Several BJP leaders said privately that organisers such as the Guild should be replaced with a new body that would allow publishers, irrespective of their ideology or political affiliation, but those to be judged solely on the quality of their books and publications.