Anupam Kher reacts to 'Delhi Riots 2020' book row, says 'mafia threats scared publishers'

Anupam Kher took a dig at ‘intolerant gang’ as Bloomsbury India decided to withdraw Delhi Riots 2020: Untold Story book. actor stated that those who are being ‘ambassors of freedom of expression’ h threatened publishers, leing to controversial decision. dressing m with words like ‘mafia’ and ‘cowards’, he stated such a thing should t have happened in India.

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Anupam Kher took to Twitter and expressed his views in form of a video, “I heard a publisher anunced a book and n refused to publish it and bring it to market, after some special people who call mselves ambassors of freedom of speech, threatened and scared m by tweeting all day. And I can’t even call m fools, publishers who supported se people decided to withdraw book."

"This is also a mafia that talks about freedom of expression to say 'this should happen and this should t.' y want freedom of expression, but when ar person asks for it, y come toger like a mafia, like an intolerant gang, that this 'book should t be published.' Why?" A Wednesday star asked.

Kher continued, "Your blood is blood and our blood is water? This is wrong. Tomorrow, someone else might want to say something that se 5-7 people, white collared terrorists, also being called urban naxals, will gar again. If everyone in a democracy has a right to express ir views, y also have right to publish ir book."

"If you don’t show your spine w, y will break it. Today, you have banned a book, tomorrow y will say don’t sport tilak, wear a cap, grow a beard, even I have grown my beard," actor continued.

Anupam Kher concluded, "So who are se people responsible for book to t be published? I don’t even want to take name of book. This should t have happened in a country of freedom, y should never talk about freedom of expression at all in future.”

RE: Bloomsbury India Withdraws 'Delhi Riots 2020' Book Facing Online Ire; BJP MP Slams Move

Earlier in day, BJP leer Dr Subramanian Swamy h also expressed his shock at publishers’ decision to withdraw book. On or hand, Congress leer Abhishek Manu Singhvi backed decision. Ar celebrity from film industry to react to controversy was Anurag Kashyap, who stated that banning was t right as it suppressed freedom of expression.

Delhi Riots 2020 controversy 

Twitteratti including film celebrities and journalists h questioned a launch event of Delhi Riots 2020, after poster featuring authors Monica Arora, Sonali Chitalkar and Prerna Malhotra, and of attendees, BJP leer Kapil Mishra, director Vivek Agnihotri and journalist Nupur Sharma went viral. Apart from presence of Kapil Mishra, who h landed in a soup for an inflammatory speech before riots, netizens wrote that case was still under investigation. However, some also highlighted that publishers h published a book on Shaheen Bagh protests, also related to events in Delhi before riots. 

Bloomsbury n released a statement,  “Bloomsbury India h planned to release Delhi Riots 2020: Untold Story in September, a book purportedly giving a factual report on riots in Delhi in February 2020, based on investigations and interviews conducted by authors,” statement re. 

It stated, “However, in view of very recent events including a virtual pre-publication launch organised without our kwledge by authors, with participation by parties of whom publishers would t have approved, we have decided to withdraw publication of book. Bloomsbury India strongly supports freedom of speech but also has a deep sense of responsibility towards society.”

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