Joe Sacco accuses Penguin India of seeking pretext to cancel politically charged comic

Cartoonist Joe Sacco claims Penguin Random House India was "looking for excuses" to avoid publishing his docu-comic "The Once and Future Riot," which chronicles the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots in Uttar Pradesh, India, where over 60 died and 60,000 were displaced. The book, already released in the UK, faced demands to remove a line about Hindu hegemony under the BJP and Narendra Modi, and to provide consent forms for quoted individuals and depicted subjects. Sacco described the editorial feedback as unusual for a pre-published work, including requests to delete quotes about public figures and move captions. He noted Penguin India also publishes Modi's autobiography. Penguin India CEO Gaurav Shrinagesh stated the book failed its "pre-check and legal scrutiny process."