The West Bengal Urdu Academy’s film festival, scheduled to be held at Kala Mandir from September 1 to 3, has been suddenly postponed, sparking a storm of controversy in the state’s cultural and political circles. The festival was to feature eminent Urdu poet, lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar alongside noted filmmaker Muzaffar Ali.
According to sources, two Muslim organisations — Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind and Wahiya Foundation — objected to Akhtar’s participation on the grounds of his atheism, despite his Muslim birth. Following these objections, the event was postponed indefinitely. The Urdu Academy has confirmed the postponement but has not provided an official reason.
The decision has triggered widespread backlash. Several liberal Muslim intellectuals of the state, in an open letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, urged her to take the matter seriously. “We are shocked. The Urdu Academy has withdrawn the invitation to Javed Akhtar due to objections from Muslim religious organisations. We believe Urdu is the language of all, not the ‘property’ of any single community,” wrote Muddar Patheria.
Political organisations and cultural bodies have also voiced strong criticism. The CPI(ML) Liberation’s West Bengal State Committee condemned the move, calling it a “surrender to religious bigotry” and an “insult to secular ideals.” Their statement warned that such appeasement could embolden communal forces.
The West Bengal Gana Sanskriti Parishad echoed similar concerns. Its state secretary, Sarit Chakraborty, said, “The objection is that Javed Akhtar is an atheist! This surrender to fundamentalist pressure is a shame for a secular society. Freedom of expression and the cultural space of art and literature must not be stifled on religious grounds.”
Meanwhile, student groups have stepped in. Six leftist organisations, including the SFI, have announced plans to host Javed Akhtar in Delhi on the same subject he was scheduled to speak on in Kolkata. “We will organise a meeting with Javed Akhtar in Delhi to ensure his voice is not silenced by fundamentalist objections,” said SFI general secretary Srijan Bhattacharya.
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