E.P. Jayarajan’s ‘autobiography’ row: publishing house remains tight lipped, refuses to clear the air

Jayarajan claims that circulating excerpts from his ‘autobiography’ are baseless nonsense and asserts that he had not granted publishing rights for his autobiography to any establishment

Even as the controversy over the purported autobiography of Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader E.P. Jayarajan intensifies, the publishing house that previously announced the book’s release remains conspicuously silent, further deepening the ambiguity.

The publishing house, Kottayam-based DC Books, had earlier announced in its social media handle the upcoming launch of Mr. Jayarajan’s autobiography, titled Kattan Chayayum Paripppuvadayum: Oru Communistinte Jeevitham. The announcement also included a cover image of the book featuring Mr. Jayarajan alongside the late Communist leader E.M.S. Namboodiripad.

But as media outlets began reporting on contentious excerpts from the alleged autobiography on Wednesday morning, it abruptly announced a delay, citing technical reasons. “The publication of the book has been delayed for a few days due to a technical problem in production. All matters relating to the content of the book will be clarified upon release,’’ it posted.

Despite mounting questions, DC Books has refrained from further comment on the allegations surrounding Mr. Jayarajan’s involvement. “Any clarification related to this matter will be issued through our social media handles,’’ a spokesperson for the publisher stated.

Mr. Jayarajan, on his part, has claimed that the circulating excerpts were baseless nonsense and asserted that he had not granted publishing rights for his autobiography to any establishment. Despite this, the publishing house has chosen not to respond for the time being.

Meanwhile, the timing of this controversy has also sparked speculations that the publisher might have strategically leaked the excerpts to attract public attention to the book.

Published - November 13, 2024 06:10 pm IST