Penguin decided to withdraw a book entitled, The Hindus: An Alternative History

The Hindus: An Alternative History written by Wendy Doniger
Penguin India, the publisher of book The Hindus: An Alternative History on 11 February 2014 agreed to withdraw the book from the Indian market. This book is written by Wendy Doniger, an American Scholar and Indologist. The decision was made by the publisher following a legal wrangle against it.

The decision was made between the publisher and Delhi based complainant organisation called Shiksha Bachao Andolan, who moved to court alleging distortion aimed at denigrating Hindu traditions. The organisation has found that the book is insulting Hindus. The settlement between complainant and penguin publishers says that all the recalled or withdrawn or unsold copies of the book shall be pulped by Penguin within next six months.

Doniger reacted to the development of action saying that she is deeply troubled by what it foretells for free speech in India. Union Jairam Ramesh has said this decision was atrocious as the book in not blasphemous. The author of the book is a scholar without any political agenda.

About the book
The book is a definitive narration of history and myths hidden in a new way to understand Hinduism, the oldest major religion of the world. It has tried to elucidate the relationship between imaginary worlds and recorded history. Wendy Doniger is a foremost scholar of Hinduism in the world. She has highlighted the process how Sanskrit and vernacular sources are rich in knowledge and compassion towards lower castes and women, without revising or misrepresenting the historical hierarchies.