Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Urdu Sahitya Academy is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary this October in Mumbai. However, Muslim leaders have expressed dissatisfaction over the government’s allocation of funds for the occasion.
Instead of the promised Rs 50 crore fund announced in July—when the institution sought assistance against eviction from its current office—the government has released only Rs 1.2 crore for the function and Rs 11.76 lakh for administrative expenses. This amount was disbursed as per a Government Resolution (GR) issued on Thursday.
Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh criticized the government for allegedly reneging on its commitments and accused it of biased treatment towards minority institutions. He stated, “During a meeting held on July 8 with the then minority affairs minister Dattatraya Bharane, assurances were given that the government would allocate Rs 50 crore as a permanent fund and provide an annual grant of Rs 5 crore. I also raised the demand with the current minority development minister Manikrao Kokate in August for various programmes for the jubilee year. However, the GR reflects a complete disregard for those assurances.”
On the other hand, Dattatraya Bharane mentioned that he was not aware of the recent developments as he had handed over charge to Kokate, who is an NCP MLA from Sinnar. Efforts to reach Kokate for a comment were unsuccessful.
The academy’s official-in-charge said that the venue for the celebrations will be finalized after obtaining approval from the minister.
Meanwhile, Urdu promotion groups have called for a comprehensive policy to enable the effective functioning of the academy. Farid Ahmed Khan, president of Urdu Caravan, who wrote to the minority affairs ministry on September 16, suggested that Maharashtra adopt features from successful Urdu academy initiatives in other states. His recommendations included:
– An annual programme calendar
– Establishment of regional centres
– Awards and grants for writers, teachers, and students
– Digitalisation of grant and award programmes
– Translation facilities
– Urdu teaching centres
– Formation of an autonomous committee to manage instruction
Additionally, the organisation proposed that the government issue a GR directing all schools and colleges in Maharashtra to celebrate ‘International Mother Tongue Day’ on February 21.
Khan also highlighted challenges, stating, “The organisation continues to function without a committee and the budget is mostly spent on hosting one annual mushaira.”
Emphasizing the cultural significance of Urdu, Shaikh remarked, “Urdu is an integral part of the Hindustani linguistic and cultural heritage. Providing such a paltry amount during a milestone year is nothing short of step-motherly treatment.” He also announced his intention to raise the issue with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
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