Kolkata, Sep 2 The BJP on Tuesday criticised the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee government after the West Bengal Urdu Academy postponed its cultural event which was scheduled to be attended by renowned poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar.
The party accused the West Bengal government of indulging in appeasement politics by allegedly listening to the "diktat of fundamentalists."
Using his X handle, Union Minister of State for Education and DoNER, Sukanta Majumdar said, "Is this the inevitable result of unchecked appeasement, where the diktat of fundamentalists becomes final? Only one person can answer this question: The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee."
The former state BJP president further said, "A ‘National Mushaira’ programme, organised by the West Bengal Urdu Academy (under the Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Department), where renowned poet Javed Akhtar, recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award, Padma Shri, and Padma Bhushan was scheduled to participate, has reportedly been cancelled under relentless pressure from extremist fundamentalists."
On August 30, the West Bengal Urdu Academy postponed its four-day cultural event starting from August 31 which was scheduled to be attended by Javed Akhtar. Nuzhat Zainab, secretary of the West Bengal Urdu Academy had said the event was postponed due to unavoidable circumstances.
In a brief Press statement, Zainab said, "Due to unavoidable circumstances, the four-day programme of the West Bengal Urdu Academy scheduled from August 31 to September 3, is being postponed."
However, sources said the event has been postponed after Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind’s Kolkata unit raised formal objection to Javed Akhtar being the chief guest to the Urdu Academy event.
A few days back, the outfit allegedly wrote a letter to the West Bengal Urdu Academy in this regard.
The outfit's Kolkata unit General Secretary Zillur Rahman Arif allegedly opposed the invitation to Javed Akhtar as the chief guest at the Kolkata Mushaira.
Criticizing the state government over the matter, Majumdar added, "Shockingly, it is even being said that the state government had to face intense pressure from hardline communal forces opposing even the entry of such an iconic poet into Bengal. The true picture can be revealed publicly only by Hon’ble @MamataOfficial herself."
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