Breach of contract, unethical and unprofessional conduct; Brown Lives matter and Brown women matter too – Authors of #DelhiRiotsTheUntoldStory in a letter to Bloomsbury India

Bloomsbury India had yesterday declared that it is pulling out of publishing a book on Delhi anti-Hindu riots which countered the popular narrative fostered by the Left and Islamist cabal and media favorable to them. Now, the authors of the book Monika Arora, Sonali Chitalkar, Prerna Malhotra have shot-off a letter to the publisher questioning their intent behind dumping the book, breach of contract, unethical and unprofessional conduct.

In their letter, the authors wrote they were shocked and had requested them to not withdraw as a publisher of the book under pressure from those who have not even seen the book or read the book and may be who are driven by an agenda and do not want the book to see the light of the day and the truth of Delhi Riots to come out before the people of India. Except showing their helplessness and being under tremendous pressure, no other reason was given by them for the drastic step.

The authors noted that the book which was available for pre-booking on Amazon was immediately removed despite receiving numerous orders from the readers. “People also started tweeting and putting the screen shots that it had become the number 1 bestseller on Amazon in the category Political Freedom and Security category. Thousands of people wanted to read the book but the book was unavailable”, says the letter.

Exposing BloomsburyIndia’s lack of professional conduct while withdrawing the book, the author write that Bloomsbury had over the past 3 months communicated with them through e- mails, SMS , Whatsapp and they had also finalized the draft of the book. “You the publisher mutually suggested many changes and all were incorporated in the final draft which the authors finalized and as publisher you approved. You Bloomsbury emailed the final draft to us. You Bloomsbury went ahead with the publication, published the books and gave us 100 hard copies. We have sent these copies throughout India to our well- wishers, renowned authors, media persons, social media influencers and other such intellectuals for review of this book.”, write the authors.

Writing about the online book launch event which caused consternation in the Jihadi-Naxal camp, the authors write that the launch was planned by them as it was a GIA (Group of Intellectuals and Academicians) program, the invitation of which was put in public domain. “You had full knowledge of this book launch and the guest list. You never objected orally or in writing regarding the guest list or the launch event. But what happened? You Bloomsbury are such a renowned publisher who has published books like Harry Potter”, say the authors.

“This is breach of contract, unethical and unprofessional conduct. This will invite Civil and Criminal Liability and you will be liable to pay damages to the authors for damaging their reputation, disowning them publicly, causing mental agony to not only the authors but to millions of people who believed in you, who wanted to order the book, read the book and who wasted their time and energy on Amazon, searching and pre ordering the book which you have withdrawn without information to the authors and thereby made unavailable. AND all the above was done without a simple email to the authors officially informing that you are withdrawing as a publisher and from the contract”, says their letter.

Writing about the intent behind withdrawing the book abruptly, the authors say that withdrawing minutes before its launching, removing the link from Amazon so that people cannot place orders, not communicating to the authors about the status of their hard work approved ad published by you as 100 copies supplied and not communicating to the authors eve 24 hours after you dumped them is nothing less than a conspiracy to kill the book.

“On our behalf please inform Bloomsbury UK not to succumb under international pressure of agenda drive lobbies. if Internationally Black lives matter than in India Black lives matter and Brown lives matter too. May I add Brown women matter too”, says the letter. Advocate and one of the authors Monika Arora wrote “@BloomsburyIndia Don’t dump yr authors. We deserve at least an email from u that u have abandoned us & yr book. #DelhiRiotsTheUntoldStory U have removed it from all platforms. People can’t read. Will international activists decide what Indians will read? Even #brownlivesmatter” on twitter.

They had requested a reply from BloomsburyIndia by 4 PM today. However, despite the letter from the authors and the social media campaign, Bloomsbury India neither responded to the authors nor given any statement over several authors boycotting them by the stipulated time. “No response from @BloomsburyIndia. No written communication to authors despite request. Our book can’t be killed. People want to buy. We have no option but to go with another publisher. Nation must know truth of #DelhiRiotsTheUntoldStory. Pls suggest names of publishers”, tweeted Monika Arora hours after they had written the letter to Bloomsbury.

The chickening out under Jihadi-Naxal pressure by Bloomsbury India was criticised by everyone across the board. Several popular authors hit back with a vow never to publish their books with Bloomsbury.