A number of bookstores in Mumbai, the financial capital of India, have begun removing books written by Pakistani authors in response to the terror attacks that killed nearly 175 people and injured more than 300 last November, the Times of India recently reported. The attacks were carried out by terrorists from Pakistan. Owners of music stores have reportedly removed CDs by Pakistani musicians as well.
Oxford Bookstore is one of the bookstores that has removed its stock of books by Pakistani authors after police suggested it do so. "Ten days ago, a policeman from the Marine Drive police station dropped in at our store and told us to be careful, store manager Girish Thakur told the Times of India. "He advised us to remove books and CDs related to Pakistan, as we may be targeted after the recent terror strikes in Mumbai."
Thakur went on to say that he is opposed to banning books. "People who love books should be allowed
the freedom to read literature from cross the world so that they get different
perspectives on an issue," he said. Others in the literary community of Mumbai agree. "As an author and citizen of
a democracy I am appalled," said Shashi Tharoor, former Under-Secretary
General of the United Nations and the author of Nehru: The Invention of India. (Arcade Publishing, 2004).
