Bhopal Literature Fest cancels Babur book session after protest fears

A scheduled session on the book Babur: The Quest for Hindustan at the Bhopal Literature and Art Festival was cancelled at the last minute, triggering criticism of the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government over censorship and pressure from the administration.

Author Aabhas Maldahiyar, who was to speak at Bharat Bhavan on January 10, wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that the session was scrapped after sections of the media carried what he called false and defamatory reports claiming the book glorified the Mughal emperor Babur. Maldahiyar rejected the claim, saying his work portrays Babur as an invader and critically examines his role in Indian history.

In the letter, Maldahiyar accused State Culture Minister Dharmendra Singh Lodhi of publicly condemning the session without reading the book. He also expressed disappointment with Vikas Dave, director of the Madhya Pradesh Sahitya Akademi, alleging that he too criticised the book without being familiar with its contents.

At the venue, posters announcing the session were altered, with the topic covered using white paper. Festival organisers said the decision to cancel the discussion was taken following a request from the local administration due to fears of protests and disruption.

Abhilash Khandekar, co-founder of the Bhopal Literature Festival, said the organisers reluctantly cancelled the session to ensure the rest of the event could proceed smoothly. He said the book does not glorify Babur and is critical of him, adding that many objecting to it had not read the English-language text.

Maldahiyar said an honest biography must examine both positive and negative aspects of its subject. He said the cancellation was hurtful not just personally, but because it reflected a failure to engage with scholarship on history.