Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s Book Release in Kerala postponed following controversy

Current Books which has inherited the legacy of a reformer like Joseph Mundassery should have told the swami not to come.

A woman, who translated Dr A P J Abdul Kalam’s last book into Malayalam, was not allowed to share the dais during the launch of the book citing the presence of a swamiji, sparking protests and eventually leading to the cancellation of the event.

The first three rows also should be reserved for Swami’s followers so that they can ensure that even impure shadow of women must not fall on him, Sreedevi sarcastically said in a Facebook post.

There was widespread outrage across Kerala and on social media after a woman translator was denied a seat on the dais of a book release function because a Hindu sect prohibits its swamis, one of whom was a guest at the event, to sit next to women.

Eminent writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair was to have released the Malayalam translation, titled Kaalaatheetham, by presenting a copy to Swami Brahmavihari Dasji.

Writer Sreedevi S Kartha, the translator of the book Transcendence My Spiritual Experience with Pramukh Swamiji by Kalam, alleged she was asked not to attend the function as Brahma Vihari Das of BAPS Swami Narayana Sanstha did not like the presence of women on the stage along with him.

Sreedevi denounced the attitude of the publisher for differentiating between a translator and a writer. Instead, they chose to keep me away from the function.

Ms. Kartha, whose name did not figure on the list of invitees, had written in her Facebook post that the publishing house had barred her from the function due to some unusual request from the ashram of Pramukh Swamiji.

The publishers are now looking at the possibility of the release of the book on another date. We have no idea about such rules of the ashram. But Current Books may have only committed an error in judgement in this case. It is better to keep silence on such occasions.

As the situation went out of control, Current Books, the publisher, announced it was cancelling the function and its manager K.J. Johny told the media that they were sorry for the inconvenience and mental trauma caused to Ms. Kartha.

src – : http://www.ledgergazette.com/kalam-s-book-release-in-kerala-postponed-following-controversy/88626/

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