Penguin won’t distribute Joe Sacco’s graphic novel on 2013 riots, ‘The Indian Express’ reports

Penguin Random House India has decided not to distribute graphic novelist Joe Sacco’s nonfiction book on the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, The Indian Express quoted the head of the publishing house as saying.

The Once and Future Riot, first published in October 2025, is based on Sacco’s visit to Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh a year after the riots.

Communal violence had erupted in Muzaffarnagar in September 2013 after Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including state minister Suresh Rana, former party MLA Sangeet Som and former MP Bharatendra Singh allegedly made inflammatory speeches.

At least 60 persons were killed and thousands of Muslim families were displaced in the riots that followed. There were also several reports of sexual assault and abuse in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts.

Sacco’s book was expected to be distributed in India starting August.

Chief Executive Officer of Penguin Random House India Gaurav Shrinagesh told The Indian Express that the title was red-flagged during a pre-check and legal scrutiny process.

“We had highlighted certain things on the Joe Sacco title but [Penguin United Kingdom] did not get back to us,” the newspaper quoted him as saying. “One problem was a map in the book showing inaccurate boundaries of India. Besides that, we had raised some content questions and asked for citations which never came.”

He added: “We are very clear about this: if we know there is...

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