Thread by @DearthOfSid

#Bloomsbury book retraction: an explanation for Dummies (liberals)

Series of events:
1. A pogrom happened in Delhi last February
2. Recently, Bloomsbury published a book that presented the perpetrator's perspective and thereby sought to perpetuate the fascist narrative further

3. A launch event was planned for the book with the main perpetrators as chief guests

4. Some of us highlighted this on social media to Bloomsbury and voiced our strong protest about what they are doing by publishing such a book and organising such a launch event

5. Bloomsbury responded that the event is being conducted without their knowledge, that their logo is being misused, realised their mistake after seeing the guest list for the launch event, and decided to retract the book

6. Some of you started crying about "banning books"

Explanation note:

a) What the book was seeking to achieve cannot be covered under freedom of expression. In a functional democracy, the authors and publishers will be prosecuted and punished.

b) But in a fascist regime where institutions are compromised and even the actual perpetrators of the pogrom are roaming free, there's nothing which will be done about it.

c) What happened here (as described in points 4&5) has nothing to do with "Freedom of Expression" at all. It's our right to voice our protest and it's Bloomsbury's right to correct their mistake. There is no question of a book-ban or curtailment of anyone's freedom of expression.

d) This whole debate is unnecessary and irrelevant. It's just a few liberals who have no clarity about what's what, preaching sanctimoniously to satisfy their egos. They are effectively standing guard for the fascists, and they must be condemned in the harshest words.