Bhopal Literature Festival Faces Controversy Over Cancelled Babur Book Session
A major controversy has erupted following the Bhopal Literature Festival 2026. Author Aabhas Moidhiyar has written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media platform X. He alleges that organizers cancelled his scheduled session under police pressure.
Author Alleges Unfair Treatment
Aabhas Moidhiyar wrote the book titled Babur: The Quest for Hindustan. His talk was supposed to happen on January 10, the second day of the three-day festival. Moidhiyar claims police persuaded festival organizers to cancel the session. Police reportedly feared trouble from right-wing activists at Bharat Bhavan, the festival venue.
Moidhiyar also criticized Madhya Pradesh Culture Minister Dharmendra Singh Lodhi. The minister condemned the session without reading the book, according to the author. Lodhi told a local newspaper that the book glorifies Babur, founder of the Mughal Empire in India. He noted a session was planned about this book at the festival.
The response from Vikas Dave, director of MP Sahitya Akademi, also troubled Moidhiyar. Dave criticized the book without reading it, the author stated. Moidhiyar insists there is not a single page in his book that glorifies Babur. He says he actually faces criticism from left-leaning literary circles for being critical of Babur.
Events Leading to Cancellation
Moidhiyar is an architect by profession who lives in Bengaluru. He traveled to Bhopal on January 9 to participate in the festival. Upon arrival, organizers warned him about potential problems with his session the next day. A story had appeared in a local Hindi newspaper, and right-wing activists might get charged up.
To clear the air, Moidhiyar wrote a clarification for the newspaper. He thought this would settle the matter. However, the newspaper did not publish his clarification. Meanwhile, some electronic news channels picked up the story.
The next day, organizers informed Moidhiyar that his session was cancelled. They suggested he deliver a lecture on ancient Indian architecture instead.
Organizers Cite Security Concerns
Abhilash Khandekar, co-director of the festival, provided the organizers' perspective. He stated they did not receive any direct threats from organizations. However, more than 100 police personnel came to Bharat Bhavan. They asked organizers to cancel the session to prevent vandalism and ensure the festival proceeded smoothly.
"They were polite but firm," Khandekar said. "They asked us to cancel the session to avoid problems in conducting the rest of the festival. Police had information that 150 to 200 people might come and resort to violence at the venue. We support freedom of expression, but we agreed to protect the event and the author from possible violence."
Khandekar revealed police returned on the festival's last day. They asked organizers not to keep the Babur book for sale. Police warned that some people planned to sneak in and burn the book.
This was the eighth year of the Bhopal Literature Festival. It was organized jointly with the state culture department. Regarding Minister Lodhi's statement, Khandekar clarified, "Lodhi had not made an official statement but gave a version to the reporter of the concerned newspaper." Attempts to contact Minister Lodhi for comments were unsuccessful.
The incident has sparked debates about artistic freedom, security concerns, and political influence on cultural events in India.
