Kolkata, July 16 -- Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has ordered a probe into alleged financial irregularities involving district book fairs organised during the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime, with the suspected misappropriation running into a few crore rupees.
Sources said newly appointed Library Services Minister Gouri Shankar Ghosh briefed the Chief Minister on alleged systemic irregularities, claiming state library funds were diverted. Several complainants alleged that government funds earmarked for educational and library development were used to procure books exclusively from publishers and entities closely associated with the TMC leadership.
They also alleged that transparent procurement procedures were routinely bypassed during state-backed literary events across several districts. The complainants met Adhikari and sought a comprehensive investigation.
Sources said the Chief Minister has directed the Library Services Minister to trace the financial trail. The state government has already constituted a commission headed by retired Calcutta High Court judge Biswajit Basu and senior IPS officer Jayaraman to probe alleged money laundering and institutional scams across multiple sectors.
Ghosh had earlier said instructions had been issued to remove books authored by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from state-run libraries.
He said public libraries should prioritise educational and "nationalist" literature over what he described as "unnecessary" or "meaningless" texts.
The BJP government has also initiated the digitisation of libraries. Ghosh said the condition of most state-run libraries was deplorable and that nearly 30 per cent of sanctioned posts in libraries across the state remained vacant. He said Banerjee's books would be replaced with works by literary icons, historical figures and leaders promoting nationalist thought.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.