Kerala: Following protests, Abdul Kalam’s book release abandoned in Thrissur

The publisher has informed the translator Sridevi S Kartha that she should not share the dais with Swami Brahmavihari Das during the function.

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‘Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji’ was the last book of the late A P J Abdul Kalam

The official release of Malayalam version of ‘Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji’, the last book of the late A P J Abdul Kalam, was abandoned on Saturday after the publisher wanted the woman translator keep away from the venue at the behest of the representative of BAPS Swaminarayana Sanstha.

The publisher, Thrissur-based Current Books, has informed the translator Sridevi S Kartha that she should not share the dais with the Swaminarayana Sanstha representative, Swami Brahmavihari Das during the function.

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After Kartha informed the publisher’s directive in her Facebook page, women and youth took out marches to the Sahitya Academy in Thrissur, where the function was scheduled. She said the three front seats of the venue have been set apart for the male disciples of the Swami, in a bid to keep woman presence away from him.

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Kartha got tremendous support in social media. Some women activists stormed into the venue and occupied the front seats of the auditorium. In Facebook, a woman activist said, “we all will be at the venue. Let us see whether the Swami would loose his celibacy.”

Sensing the protest, Swami Das did not turn up at the venue, instead stayed at his hotel room.

As protesters disrupted the function, the Current Books announced that there would not be an official release for the Malayalam translation of the book authored by the late President. The publishing house apologized for creating the controversy.

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