Norwalk library considering removal of Sikh children's book

Jul. 17—NORWALK — The public library is considering removing a children's book with illustrations of a Sikh leader after a resident said the depictions were insulting and against the religion.

Norwalk resident Mohinder Kalsi first brought the book to the library board's attention early last year to former library director Christine Bradley, but addressing issue was delayed due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Kalsi, a Sikh, revisited the topic in a request to Library Board of Directors President Alex Knopp in March, Knopp said at the March board meeting.

Kalsi's request for removal marks the first time during her tenure that a resident has asked for a book to be removed from circulation, said Knopp, who joined the board five years ago.

Library Director Sherelle Harris said at the board's May meeting that she has not been involved with or heard of any requests for a book removal in recent memory. Harris, who joined the library in 1997, did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Kalsi spoke at the April board meeting, explaining his request and when he discovered the book.

"On the righthand side there was a table with special books on it, some on Sikhism," Kalsi said. "I picked it up and started thumbing through. The last guru is shown in the form of a cartoon and that's very objectionable. It was derogatory."

He sought the removal of a graphic novel-type book, "Guru Gobind Singh," about Sikhism's tenth and last guru and leader.

While kept in the children's section, "Guru Gobind Singh," published by Wilco Picture Library, was labeled as appropriate for all ages.

Kalsi asked for the book to be removed from circulation and offered to replace the book with appropriate writings on Sikhism.

"For the Sikhs, portrayal of their ten Gurus or their families is sacrilege, prohibited in the writings of the founder of the religious sect himself," according to The Indian Express newspaper. Neither Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji Foundation, a Sikh organization in Norwalk, nor CT Gurdwara Nanak Darbar, another Sikh congregation located in Southington, responded to a request for comment on the Norwalk library book.

The 2017 book, "Sikh Art from the Kapany Collection," written by Paul M Taylor and Sonia Dhami, discusses artistic depictions of the religion's spiritual leaders.

"The Sikh tradition takes a somewhat nuanced position with respect to the visual representation of the Sikh Gurus, the founders and spiritual preceptors of the faith," Taylor and Dhami wrote. "...Note both the existence of and the limits on the representation of the Sikh Gurus, these limits aiming to separate these portraits from contexts where the images might become objects of worship. In the mainstream Sikh faith, one will typically not find portraits of the Sikh Gurus inside the congregation hall, where reading and singing from the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred text, dominate the worship service."

Nevertheless, depictions of the gurus and their lives have emerged over time, according to Taylor and Dhami.

But board member Mary Mann said at a recent meeting that the library should not remove the book. Member Patsy Bescia additionally voiced concern at the board's April meeting that the library would be in violation of the First Amendment if it removed the book.

"This is not an easily resolved issue," Bescia said. "To take the position of removing books from the library that other people might object to for one reason or another, this is a very serious question to be asked."

"I don't think I've ever heard of it," Mann said. "In all my years, this is the first time. While I'm more than willing to go along with the board, I would not pull it out of the collection. If that's the situation, we should pull out all African Americans they have hanging from trees or characters of Mammies that exist. But if the board feels we should pull this material, I have no argument. I will accept it."

Following Kalsi's plea to the board, the library materials policy was revised, allowing all residents with a library card to come before the board and request the removal of a book they find objectionable.

The revised policy states that Kalsi's removal request will be reviewed by the library director and a recommendation will subsequently be made to the board of directors, who will have the final decision, Knopp said.

"We will be getting a recommendation from Sherelle and making a decision at the September board meeting," Knopp said.

The subject was discussed at the board's June meeting with a representative from the Connecticut Library Consortium's Intellectual Freedom Committee.

"If the library were to make a decision on removing or keeping this book to accommodate a religious perspective, then it could be seen as a being a proponent, and therefore in violation of the establishment clause," CLA representative Samantha Lee said.

The fate of the graphic novel will be decided in September.

abigail.brone@hearstmediact.com

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