[Reader-list] Poet made to pay for anti-Modi remark

[anupam chakravartty]

Allowing an anti-Narendra Modi remark to appear in an opinion piece carried
in his poetry collection two years ago has brought the ire of higher-ups in
Gujarat Urdu Sahitya Academy on Aqaal Shatir, a poet here. He has been asked
to return the financial assistance that the Academy provided him for
publishing the anthology.

The Academy had provided Rs 10,000 to bring out his Urdu poetry book Abhi
Zinda Hoon Main (I’m Still Alive). The Academy took exception to one
sentence in the opinion piece written by Bhiwandi-based Raunaq Afroz and
slapped a notice on Shatir asking to explain why he should not be asked to
return the financial assistance, for “violating rules of acceptance”.
More on :
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/poet-made-to-pay-for-antimodi-remark/726964/