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Token Book Fair Gets Token Audience

By sachiv1, Section News
Posted on Wed Jan 31, 2007 at 11:05:36 PM EST

State transport minister Subhash Chakraborty could not live up to his claim that there would be over a lakh people to attend the "token Book Fair", which was organised at the Maidan on Wednesday to protest the High Court's decision not to allow the 32nd Kolkata Book Fair here. Worse, Chakraborty could not even find a place on the dias which was already crowded by the first families of literary Bengal.

Chakraborty was quick to realise that sitting on the dias was becoming a bone of contention among litterateurs, musicians and aficianados of the theatre world. Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya added weight to those present. There were also not more than 500 people to watch the protest book-reading. He decided to make a quick exit.

Candles were lit, poems recited and songs sung to mark the protest. There were long speeches, mostly regretting that the Book Fair had been "cancelled" this year. Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya rubbished the court's order, saying, "This draconian order was undesirable. Won't the fair create pollution wherever it is held? The big publishers have vested interests and they do not want small publishers to earn from the Book Fair. They were the ones lobbying with environmentalists to kill this fair."

Film director Mrinal Sen pointed out that for some years Book Fair authorities were indulging food stalls a little too much. "I've come here to support this cause, but I do agree the Book Fair of late had become more of a foodie's paradise," he said.

Author Nabaneeta Dev Sen almost wept. She said, "I feel nostalgic today and am ashamed of the people who have killed the fair. We are bothered because the Book Fair is a means to our survival."

Amid all this, no one could clearly justify why they wanted the fair at the Maidan. Most felt the Maidan was easily accessible because it was centrally located. Housewife Sujata Rakshit, who had come to "hear Haimanti Shukla sing", said: "Not everyone goes to other fairs. Everyone waits for this one."

Subhash Chakraborty's wife Romola Chakraborty said, "The Guild should have taken steps to avoid this but we will ensure the Book Fair is held at the Maidan permanently."

(Source-Indian Express,01/02/07)

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