Penguin Random House India Withdraws Distribution of Joe Sacco’s Book on Muzaffarnagar Riots

In a significant move, Penguin Random House India has announced that it will not distribute journalist Joe Sacco’s nonfiction book detailing the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. The decision, reported by The Indian Express, was confirmed by Gaurav Shrinagesh, the CEO of Penguin Random House India, who cited concerns raised during a prior legal and content review.

Entitled The Once and Future Riot, Sacco’s book was first published in October 2025, stemming from his investigation into the aftermath of the riots in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. The communal violence that erupted in September 2013 resulted in the tragic deaths of at least 60 individuals and left thousands of Muslim families displaced. The tensions were reportedly ignited by inflammatory speeches from various Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including Suresh Rana, Sangeet Som, and Bharatendra Singh.

Sacco’s work aims to shed light on the complex dynamics of the riots, which involved not only loss of life but also numerous instances of sexual assault and abuse reported from the affected areas of Muzaffarnagar and Shamli. The book was slated for distribution in India starting August, but its release has now been halted due to the identified issues.

During his conversation with The Indian Express, Shrinagesh elaborated on the reasons behind the withdrawal, stating that the title was flagged during the pre-check and legal scrutiny phases. One of the main issues was a map included in the book that inaccurately depicted India’s boundaries. Additionally, Penguin Random House India had raised several questions regarding the content and requested citations that were not provided by Penguin United Kingdom.

Shrinagesh emphasized the company’s commitment to maintaining high standards in publishing, asserting, “We are very clear about this: if we know there are problems, we cannot proceed.” The decision reflects the challenges faced by publishers in navigating sensitive topics, particularly in a diverse and multifaceted society like India, where communal tensions still resonate in the present day.

Source: scroll.in