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Bhopal Lit Fest cancels session on Babur book over protest fears, author calls out Culture Dept

A discussion on Aabhas Maldahiyar’s book, ‘Babur: The Quest for Hindustan’, was to be held on January 10

2 min readBhopalJan 14, 2026 07:41 AM IST

Bhopal Lit Fest cancels session on Babur book over protest fears, author calls out Culture Dept

Author Aabhas Maldahiyar, whose ‘Babur: The Quest for Hindustan’ was to be discussed on January 10 at Bharat Bhavan, said he received no explanation from organisers beyond a claim of administrative pressure. (Representational image)

The Bhopal Literature and Art Festival cancelled a scheduled discussion on a new book about Mughal emperor Babur after police warned of possible protests.

“My scheduled session on my new book, ‘Babur: The Quest for Hindustan’, at the Bhopal Literature Fest 2026 was cancelled after the newspaper, Swadesh, published false and defamatory reports alleging that I intended to glorify Babur. These unfounded claims triggered threats from certain so-called Hindu organisations, including calls to burn my book and vandalise bookstores,” Maldahiyar said.

The author said what was “even more disturbing” was that the “Culture Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Dharmendra Singh Lodhi, publicly condemned the session without reading even a single page of the book”.

“This raises serious concerns about the functioning and intellectual integrity of the Culture Ministry of Madhya Pradesh, where literary works are being judged without being read,” he said.

He also criticised Madhya Pradesh Sahitya Akademi director Vikas Dave, writing that Dave, too, dismissed the book “solely on the basis of rumour”.

At the venue, festival posters announcing the talk were reportedly covered over with white paper.

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Organisers said the decision was taken reluctantly. Festival co-founder Abhilash Khandekar told The Indian Express that police warned of disruption by right-wing groups.

“There was a session on January 10 that was cancelled. It was cancelled because police said right-wing groups would come and ransack the event based on a newspaper report,” he said.

“The author has exposed Babur in his work, and anyone could have challenged that. We wanted to save our festival, that’s why we had to call it off,” Khandekar said.

Khandekar also said the organisers feared the episode could overshadow the three-day event. “We chose to protect the idea of Bhopal and the author, and to make this a successful event,” he said. “Most people objecting haven’t read the book,” he added.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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