The Indian Liberal

For not speaking against a publisher cancelling a book written by a pro-Modi writer

While there was a lot of justifiable hand-wringing and talk of fascist elements in the Hindu right when Penguin pulped Wendy Doniger’s book The Hindus: An Alternative History, there has been very little discussion of Indian publishing house Navayana’s decision to cancel publication of an English translation of Tamil writer Joe D’Cruz’s 2005 novel, Aazhi Soozh Ulagu (Ocean Ringed World), after the author’s public endorsement of Modi. The book itself has nothing to do with Modi. In a statement, publisher S Anand said, among other things, that “there cannot be a place for such an author in a political publishing house like Navayana … we are glad we came to know Joe’s stand before the novel was published.” Most publishing contracts include the publisher’s right to refuse a title if it falls short of editorial standards, and Navayana is perhaps legally well within its rights to cancel its contract with D’Cruz. But what Navayana has effectively done is not very different from Penguin’s decision on Doniger’s book. They are both equally guilty of self-censorship. But you wouldn’t hear that in newspaper and TV commentaries. For those from the so-called liberal spectrum, it appears censorship cuts only one way.

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