Overview

• The West Bengal Urdu Academy postponed its four-day ‘Urdu in Hindi Cinema’ programme set for August 31–September 3, according to an official note from secretary Nuzhat Zainab.
• Academy sources and multiple reports say the move followed formal objections from the Kolkata unit of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and the Wahyain Foundation to Javed Akhtar’s invitation.
• Jamiat’s general secretary Zillur Rahman Arif issued a letter and public statements denouncing Akhtar and urging the Academy to drop him from the programme.
• Unnamed officials cited concerns about potential unrest in an election year, with some reports mentioning fears of incidents such as an ink attack on Akhtar.
• The postponement drew criticism from writers, activists and groups like APDR, with figures including Gauhar Raza calling it a blow to free expression; no new dates were announced.