Mumbai: Ruling and Opposition benches in the
Maharashtra assembly today came together pressing for
continuation of the ban on printing and publication of the
controversial book on Chhatrapati Shivaji even as its
publishers promised not to bring out fresh copies.
"It is an emotional issue for the people of Maharashtra,"
Home Minister R R Patil said in the assembly after the BJP,
Shiv Sena and members of the ruling Congress-NCP coalition
demanded that the ban on the book authored by American James
Laine should remain.
The assembly passed a resolution condemning Laine for
allegedly defaming Chhatrapati Shivaji in his book.
"The Supreme Court has lifted the ban on the book but the
sentiments of all the parties are in favour of the ban,"
Patil said.
The Supreme Court had on July 9 rejected Maharashtra
Government`s plea to ban the book titled `Shivaji-The Hindu
King in Muslim India`, clearing the way for its publication
and circulation.
The Supreme Court had upheld the decision of the Bombay
High Court to lift the ban on the book. The State government
had contended that there were "objectionable" references to
the legendary Maratha king and that the book contained
material promoting social enmity.
Oxford University Press (OUP), which had first published
the book, today assured the Maharashtra government that it
won`t publish fresh copies.
OUP India Managing Director, Manzar Khan, has written to
the government, assuring that the publishing house won`t be
printing more copies of the book, Patil later said.
"OUP India has no intention of coming out with a fresh
publication on Laine`s book pursuant to the judgement of
the Supreme Court," Khan said in the letter.
"It has never been the intention of OUP to hurt the
sentiment of any section of our society," the letter said.
"The book was withdrawn from circulation from November
21, 2003. Oxford University Press has no copies of the book
with them," the letter said.
"The author has also given an affidavit of undertaking
that the said paragraph on page 93 of the book would be
deleted from all future publication of the book worldwide,"
the publishing house said.
Patil said that following this statement by Oxford
University Press, the furore all over the state on Laine`s
book should subside.
The state government would come out with a legislation in
the next session to deal sternly against those defaming iconic
figures, he added.
The state government had on Sunday set up a three-member
committee to explore legal options to stop the book`s printing
and circulation in the state.
Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and various other
organisations have said that they shall not allow anybody to
sell the book in the state.
The state government had approached the apex court
after the High Court had in 2007 lifted the ban on the book on
a petition filed by advocate Sanghraj Rupawate, documentary
filmmaker Anand Patwardhan and social activist Kunda Pramila.
The High Court, in its order, had said that the
notification issued by the state government was not
sustainable in the light of the apex court`s order which had
quashed criminal proceedings against Laine over allegations
that the book promoted social enmity.
The state government had issued the directive under
section 95 of the Criminal Procedure Code that empowers a
state government to order ban on books if they contain any
material that can lead to breach of peace and tranquility and
cause communal tension.
The book written by Laine, a professor of religious
studies, was published in 2003 by OUP in New York and New
Delhi.
It was banned by the state government after 150 cadres
of the Sambhaji Brigade ransacked the office of Bhandarkar
Oriental Research Institute (BORI) in Pune and destroyed
property.
PTI
