Author: Our Staff Correspondent
Publication: The Hindu
Date: November 30, 2002
URL: http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2002/11/30/stories/2002113006080100.htm
The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister,
Digvijay Singh, has written to the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee,
urging an immediate ``ban on two controversial books titled `Ramayan ke
Mahapatra' and `Mahabharat ke Mahapatra'' published from Lucknow.
Mr. Singh said, ``the books carrying
objectionable remarks about Hindu Gods and Goddesses had offended the people's
feelings. Demanding a ban on all such publications, Mr. Singh sought strict
action against all authors and publishers who offended the people's religious
feelings. Some educational institutions were also teaching students from
books that projected some religions in a poor light. He drew the Prime
Minister's attention to the controversy over the comments against Hindu
Gods and Goddesses in these books and the protest by the BJP MLAs at the
venue of the inaugural session of the International Buddhist Conference
here on November 22.
Mr. Singh has said that the disparaging
comments in these books, which were said to have been put up for sale at
a stall set up at the venue of the Buddhist conference, should be condemned
in the strongest terms. He emphasised that permission had not been granted
for putting up the book stall. Also, it had been said that all this was
part of a conspiracy to disturb the Buddhist conference and malign the
image of his Government, the Chief Minister said.
Mr. Singh brought to the Prime Minister's
notice that the books had been published by ``Dalit Today Prakashan'' of
Lucknow. These were written by K.M. Sant, a retired IAS officer of the
Uttar Pradesh cadre, who is at present working as a member of the Uttar
Pradesh Lok Seva Abhikaran. Meanwhile, Mr. Sant has sent a letter informing
the Madhya Pradesh Government that he had submitted these books to the
Uttar Pradesh Government under the Official Conduct Rules.
