Activist's "Muslim Right" Post After Javed Akhtar's Kolkata Event Postponed

Activist Shabnam Hashmi has come out in support of legendary poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar after a cultural event he was invited to was postponed due to objections by the Muslim outfit Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind. Ms Hashmi, the sister of playwright and activist, late Safdar Hashmi, has hit out at those legitimising platforms "run by the Muslim right" and offered to host an event for Mr Akhtar in Kolkata if he is open to it.

This comes after the West Bengal Urdu Academy announced that its four-day cultural event, scheduled to start on Sunday, had been postponed. While the Academy cited unavoidable circumstances, multiple reports said Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind's Kolkata unit had objected after Mr Akhtar was invited as the event's chief guest.

Confirming the opposition, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind's Kolkata unit's general secretary Zillur Rahman said they wrote to the Academy and flagged the invitation to Mr Akhtar. "Javed Akhtar has spoken a lot of bad things against Islam, against Muslims, and against Allah. This person is not a human but a devil in human guise. Do not include Javed Akhtar in this programme," he said, elaborating on the content of the letter.

"There are many good poets, writers, and journalists in the Urdu world who can be invited to this programme," the letter said. Soon after, the Academy announced that the programme had been postponed.

The event, titled 'Urdu in Hindi Cinema', was aimed at showcasing the contribution of Urdu to Indian cinema. Discussions, poetry recitations, and cultural performances had been planned. Mr Akhtar was to preside over a key mushaira today.

In a sharp response to the developments, Ms Hashmi said she had been telling activists to stop legitimising the "Muslim right".

This is the beginning. I have been shouting from the roof top , telling my fellow senior activists and the young ones to stop legitimising platforms run by the Muslim right . 1/3 pic.twitter.com/mZBqVWmGbB

— Shabnam Hashmi (@ShabnamHashmi) August 31, 2025

"This is the beginning. I have been shouting from the rooftop, telling my fellow senior activists and the young ones to stop legitimising platforms run by the Muslim right," she said in a post on X.

The well-known activist said she had been cornered within Delhi's civil society because of her stand. "I have been systematically pushed to a corner within the Delhi civil society because I refused to share platforms with Muslim right-wing orgs while a large number of senior activists are fooling themselves in the name of fighting against majoritarian politics," she said.

Ms Hashmi added that the struggle for the dignity of minorities can be fought only within the framework of the Constitution. "Struggle for democracy, equality, dignity of minorities- Muslims, Christians, Jains, Sikhs can be fought only within the framework of the Constitution."

Tagging Mr Akhtar, she said, "If you are open to it, I will organise the program in Kolkata. Dekhti hoon kiski himmat hai jo rok de (Let's see who dares to stop it)."