The Modi regime has removed the poetry of Agha Shahid Ali and Basharat Peer’s Curfewed Night from the master’s programme of English in the universities in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The two universities, the University of Kashmir and Central University of Kashmir were teaching at least three of Agha’s poems besides the Peer memoir Curfewed Night in English master’s programme.
The occupation regime claimed that the Shahid’s poetry falls under the category of “Resistance Literature,” a classification presumed to foster a “azaadi mindset, aspiration, and narrative” among students.
Agha Shahid Ali, an alumnus of the very institution where his works have been banned, has been hailed as one of Kashmir’s most memorable immigrant poets.
Despite being celebrated globally for his poignant verses, the varsity has not always embraced his work. In the past, the University of Kashmir declined Shahid to teach its students.
To honour the literary legacy of Agha Shahid Ali, the University of Kashmir had previously organised seminars dedicated to him, aiming to explore the depth of his works and their relevance to the region. Discussions during these seminars touched upon his powerful poetry.
