By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Patna: Who killed Karkare? The question has now become a topic of public and national debate. Credit goes to two – Congress leader Digvijay Singh and much before him, SM Mushrif, ex-Inspector General of Police, Maharashtra. Mushrif’s book Who Killed Karkare? The real face of terrorism in India did a fair business at Patna Book Fair.
Outspoken Singh has created a storm by saying Hemant Karkare, the slain Maharashtra ATS Chief, was under threat from Hindutva terror groups for the Malegaon terror blast probe. But long before him, the point was highlighted with more facts and evidences in the book Who Killed Karkare?
Young visitors looking at the book “Who Killed Karkare?” at the stall of Pharos Media Publishing Pvt Ltd.
Though Pharos Media Publishing Pvt Ltd, the Delhi-based publisher of the book, was not given prominent location and space at the 10-day long book fair at Gandhi Maidan in the state capital, the stall where the book on Karkare was placed prominently could pull about 500 visitors. And several copies of Mushrif’s book were sold.
A college student from Bihar Sharief came up the stall and directly picked the book. He talks to the stall in-charge about the concession. Asked about his choice for the book, he says he wants to know more about how and who killed Karkare. He is aware of the storm created by Digvijay Singh on the issue earlier this month.
Some Urdu publishers and institutes also did good business at the fair. At the stall of Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, the book on Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was most sought after. “Aurangzeb – Ek Nai Drishti by Om Prakash and Sharfuddin Maneri – the Hundred Letters were well received by the people,” said Afroz Ahmed, stall manager.
Visitors at the Adam Publishers stall
The National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) was selling Urdu literature books as hot cake. “Being in the vicinity of the colleges and university, books on Urdu literature are selling in good number,” says Siddiqui, the stall manager.
All 10 days, Muslim girls and women, mostly students, were seen at the fair in good number. Many were visiting the stall of Adam Publishers. According to Sharful Huda, the manager of the stall, Muslim women are coming to buy religious books at his stall. “Rights of Women in Islam – Modern or Outdated by Dr Zakir Naik did good business,” claims Huda. Other attraction of the visitors at his stall was books on Islamic law like Introduction to Islamic Law and Islamic Jurisprudence.