Bhopal Lit Fest cancels Babur session after protest threats
The Bhopal Literature and Art Festival dropped a session with author Aabhas Maldahiyar because police warned organizers about possible protests and disruption by right-wing groups (VHP, Bajrang Dal), and some organizations had allegedly threatened to burn the book and vandalize shops over his book, "Babur: The Quest for Hindustan."
Maldahiyar called the cancelation disappointing, saying it hurts open discussion.
In a letter to PM Modi, he shared, "What pains me is that those who claim to oppose Babur do not even recognize the scholars who are equipping them with intellectual tools for that very debate."
He also criticized the state's Culture Ministry for judging his work without reading it.
Who is Aabhas Maldahiyar?
Maldahiyar, 37, is an architect from Bengaluru who started writing with "#Modi Again" in 2019.
His latest books take a critical look at Babur's invasions and their impact on India.