Gujarat: Three members of Hindutva groups held for attacking participants of book reading session

Three persons allegedly linked to Hindutva groups were arrested on Friday for attacking participants of a book-reading session in Ahmedabad, PTI reported. Two persons were injured in the attack.

The two outfits, the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, are part of a group of Hindutva organisations led by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the parent organisation of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

The organisers said that the session at Vastrapur Park was open to persons who wanted to read books of their choice. After the session ended, a group of men carrying hockey sticks and saffron flags reached the site, shouting “Jai Shree Ram” and allegedly abused the participants.

The group objected to a memoir by Nobel Peace Prize winner and Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala, being among the books available for reading at the session.

Vastrapur Police Station Inspector GM Chaudhary told PTI that about 20 persons, including women, had gathered for the reading session when the group of 18 to 20 persons claiming to be members of the two Hindutva groups attacked the participants.

A first information report has been registered. Two of the persons accused in the matter were known to the participants, the news agency reported. “Apart from them, six individuals have been identified, and...

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