Thaindian News

By Gina Gomez
The world of book readers does not need any introduction to the comic series created by the Belgian artist Herge based on the character of the boy reporter Tintin. Most have loved the books while growing up and even adults find something informative about the entire series. Crossing all boundaries, all races, Tintin had become a name that everyone was synonymous with.

However, it seems now that the much beloved series has gotten embroiled in a controversy over racism. The charges have been brought by a 41 year old Congolese accountant, Bienvenu Mbutu Mondondo, who has initiated a legal proceeding against the book “Tintin in the Congo”. The lawsuit has been filed against the publisher of the franchise. It claims that the book, “Tintin in the Congo” is racial in nature and discriminates against the Congolese populace. Therefore, it should be removed from bookshelves everywhere.

In the US too, the book has recently been courting a lot of controversies. It was only last month that the book was ordered to be removed from the publicly access bookshelves of a Brooklyn based library in New York because of the nature of its depiction of the Congolese race.

Since as long back as 2005, the library is said to have received numerous written complaints against the book. One complaint had distinctly stated, “The content is racially offensive to black people.”

After the slew of complaints had swarmed in, the book was reportedly taken off the collection and locked up in a back room. It is now made available only by a key and appointment.