Siliguri: Activists of the RSS-backed Hindu Jagran Mancha today turned up at the venue of the first Darjeeling Literary Meet in Siliguri and held a demonstration decrying the presence of poet Srijato Bandyopadhyay at the event.

This is because Srijato had last year posted a Bengali poem named Abhishap (Curse) on Facebook that was critical of BJP’s Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the politics of Hindu fundamentalism.

Maintaining that Srijato has hurt the sentiments of the Hindus through his writings, Hindu Jagran Mancha activists gathered in front of Mainak Tourist Lodge at Pradhan Nagar in Siliguri where the event was underway. Holding placards against Srijato in hand, they shouted slogans like “Srijati Go Back,” etc.

Shubha Sil, who led the agitation, said that if Srijato could be invited to the literary meet despite having “hurt” the sentiments of the Hindus, why Taslima Nasrin was not invited? Why is Salman Rushdie not allowed to live in India?

As the agitation was on, there was not a single policeman around. This is despite the organisers claiming to have informed the event schedule to the police. Those associated with the event managed to control the situation without any untoward happening.

Jayanta Kar, Trinamool leader and an organiser of the meet later said that the literary meet has been organised against such intolerance against creativity and attack freedom of speech.