Urdu Academy defers Javed Akhtar event after protests

KOLKATA: The West Bengal Urdu Academy has indefinitely postponed a mushaira (poetry symposium) featuring Javed Akhtar, which was scheduled for Monday evening, following protests by religious groups which claimed that certain comments by the poet-lyricist-screenwriter had hurt their sentiments.The Urdu Academy, which functions under the Bengal govt's minority affairs department, has not officially cited the protests as the reason for the postponement, with secretary Nuzhat Zainab merely saying, "The four-day programme has been postponed due to unavoidable circumstances." But the timing of the decision has triggered questions whether the organisers have yielded to pressure from the protesting groups.Academy officials said "new dates will be announced soon", but did not confirm whether Akhtar would be invited again.

The organisers have not issued any statement clarifying the nature of the "unavoidable circumstances", but an insider said the decision was made to "avoid untoward incidents".Asked about the Academy's decision, Akhtar told TOI, "It is very interesting that I keep receiving hate mails and comments from both Hindu and Muslim organisations.

Some Hindu outfits call me jihadi and tell me to go to Pakistan. Some Muslim organisations call me kafir and tell me to change my name. As far as I am receiving such resentment from both the sides, I think I am saying and doing something right.""In the last 20 years, Mumbai police has given me protection four times on their own and three out of four times, it was after threats from Muslim organisations. But such threats and protests will not discourage me from going to Kolkata.

It is a city I love. I need half an excuse to visit Kolkata. Hope to be there soon," Akhtar said.Clerics from various organisations met Urdu Academy officials last Thursday and protested against the invite to Akhtar.Mufti Abdus Salam Qasmi, general secretary of the West Bengal State Jamiat-e-Ulama, one of the protesting organisations, said that while Akhtar's beliefs are his personal choice, his public statements have caused concern."Javed Akhtar calling himself an atheist is his personal choice, and we have no problem with that," said Mufti Qasmi. "But certain views he has been expressing on public forums have hurt the sentiments of a section of Muslims. The West Bengal Urdu Academy, being a minority institution, should be mindful of that and should invite someone who doesn't have a history of hurting religious sentiments."Mufti Shamail Nadvi, founder of Wahyain Foundation, said, "While we respect Javed Akhtar Sahab as an individual, his recent utterances and past opinions have hurt the sentiments of the community...

Being a govt organisation, it (the Academy) should not invite people who have a history of mocking religious beliefs of any community."The Academy's move has angered several "Urdu lovers" in the city, who wrote to CM Mamata Banerjee condemning the decision to withdraw the invitation to Akhtar. They said the decision amounted to censorship and might dent Kolkata's image as the "last fortress of liberals". Among the signatories are Mudar Patherya, Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, Zahir Anwar, Taiyyeb Ahmed Khan and Abhay Phadnis.Akhtar, an award-winning writer known for his contributions to both Hindi cinema and Urdu literature, is often invited to literary events across the country. A frequent commentator on socio-political issues, he has drawn both praise and criticism from Hindu and Muslim organisations.In the past, he came under attack from some Hindu outfits. He landed in a controversy in 2021 after likening VHP, Bajrang Dal and RSS to the Taliban.