Islamic groups opposed to inviting Javed Akhtar force Bengal’s Urdu Academy to call off literary event

The State-run West Bengal Urdu Academy, which was all set to hold a four-day festival to celebrate Urdu in Hindi cinema, has put off the event following opposition from some Islamic organisations to inviting lyricist Javed Akhtar for it.

On August 30 afternoon, hours before the event was to begin in Kolkata, Nuzhat Zainab, Secretary of the Academy, said in an official statement released on social media: “Due to unavoidable circumstances, the four-day programme, Urdu in Hindi cinema, scheduled from August 31-September 3, is being postponed.”