Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:22am on 01 Sep 2025,Monday India
The West Bengal Urdu Academy has cancelled its four-day literary festival after protests from Islamist groups against poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar. Akhtar, invited as chief guest for a mushaira in Kolkata, was accused of “speaking against religion and God” by Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and Wahyahin Foundation. Both groups threatened protests if the invitation was not withdrawn. Officials cited “unavoidable circumstances” for cancellation, but sources said the government feared unrest before the 2026 Assembly elections. Activists called the decision a blow to free speech. Akhtar, who identifies as an atheist and cultural Muslim, was to headline discussions on Urdu in Indian cinema. (PC: India Today)
