Penguin India Halts Release of Joe Sacco's Muzaffarnagar Violence Graphic Narrative

Penguin Random House India will not distribute Joe Sacco's graphic narrative The Once and Future Riot, which examines the 2013 Muzaffarnagar violence. The publisher cited concerns about India's map depiction and editorial issues. Sacco's work explores communal violence, displacement, and political tensions preceding India's 2014 election. Author Arundhati Roy criticized the decision, calling it a setback for free expression and urging publishers to resist political pressure.