Cartoonist Joe Sacco has accused Penguin Random House India of seeking excuses to avoid publishing his politically sensitive docu-comic, *The Once and Future Riot*, which chronicles the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots in Uttar Pradesh, India. Sacco claims the publisher demanded removal of a line critical of the BJP government, requested proof of consent for quotes and depictions, and made other editorial changes he refused to accept. Penguin India CEO Gaurav Shrinagesh stated the book failed its pre-check and legal scrutiny process.
This dispute highlights ongoing tensions between free expression and political sensitivities in India's publishing landscape, especially under a government led by the Hindu nationalist BJP. Sacco's allegations that Penguin India—also the publisher of Prime Minister Modi's autobiography—may have internal political motivations for shelving the book raise questions about self-censorship and editorial independence in major publishing houses operating in politically charged environments.