Bajrang Dal activists attack readers in Ahmedabad over Malala, Anne Frank books

Mangalore Today News Network

Ahmedabad, Aug 28, 2026: A group of Bajrang Dal activists allegedly assaulted members of a book-reading collective at a public garden in Ahmedabad on Thursday evening for reading books by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai and Holocaust diarist Anne Frank. The organisation, affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), reportedly objected particularly to Malala’s books, alleging that they contain “anti-India” views.

The Vastrapur police registered an FIR in the early hours of Friday following a complaint by businessman Jay Thakkar, who was leading the reading group. Although the FIR does not name Bajrang Dal, it identifies two accused — Hiren Rabari and Jimit Rabari — along with 18 unidentified persons. According to the complaint, all the accused were wearing saffron scarves.

Thakkar said a group of students and young people had gathered at an AUDA (Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority) park in Vastrapur for a book-reading session organised through social media.

Around 6 pm, while preparations for the session were underway, a group allegedly arrived carrying wooden sticks and questioned the participants about why they were reading Malala’s book.

According to Thakkar’s complaint, the group assaulted him, Sneh Bhavsar and Savan Jalaria, while Swati Goswami was allegedly pulled by her hair and Maitreyee Chhaya was roughed up. The group also allegedly threatened the participants with consequences for reading the books.

Police were alerted following the incident and personnel reached the spot. The injured, including Thakkar, were taken to Sola Civil Hospital for treatment.

Bajrang Dal member Jwalit Mehta, in a video statement, said the organisation opposed reading Malala’s book, alleging that she holds “anti-India” views, particularly on Kashmir.

The incident comes days after saffron organisations and several parents objected to the presence of Malala’s book I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban at a private school, Anand Niketan.

Objections were also raised over The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, which documents her family’s life in hiding from Nazi persecution during the Holocaust.