Right-wing activists attack book reading protest in India

A reading session of Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai's memoir 'I Am Malala' in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, turned violent when a group of individuals, allegedly affiliated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, attacked participants. Police reported the incident occurred on Thursday evening, leading to three arrests.

The confrontation took place at Vastrapur Garden, where approximately 70 people had gathered for a silent book-reading protest. This demonstration was a response to a local school's decision to remove 'I am Malala' and 'Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl' from its reading list, a move prompted by objections from parents and right-wing activists. The protesters were also reading other books, including "Why I Am An Atheist" and "1984."

According to police, an armed group of 18 to 20 individuals confronted the readers, angrily questioning their choice of Yousafzai's memoir. The situation escalated into a scuffle, resulting in injuries to two participants. "An FIR has been registered, and two of the accused were known to the victims. Apart from them, six individuals have been identified, and three have already been arrested," stated an official, adding that the attackers claimed affiliation with the Bajrang Dal and VHP.

This incident follows a similar event weeks prior, where a private school in Ahmedabad was compelled to remove books by Yousafzai and Anne Frank from its mandatory reading list due to protests from right-wing groups. Malala Yousafzai's autobiography details her advocacy for girls' education and her survival of a Taliban-imposed assassination attempt.