Ahmedabad, Oct 25 The Gujarat government has removed a poem from the online version of its annual Diwali publication after the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) alleged it contained “objectionable” references to Lord Ram and revered Bhakti saint Meera Bai.
Poet Aziz Tankarvi’s composition in the online version of ‘Gujarat Deepotsavi Ank’, a magazine published by the state Information and Broadcasting Department during Diwali every year, has been replaced by a poem titled “Joiye” by Kavi Prakash ‘Jalal’.
Gujarat VHP spokesperson Hitendrasinh Rajput confirmed that Tankarvi’s poem had been replaced.
“We are glad that the state government promptly responded to our request and removed that controversial poem from the Diwali magazine,” Rajput said.
The development comes after the VHP wrote to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on October 23 demanding the immediate removal of the composition and strict action against the author and officials responsible for approving it.
In the letter, VHP’s Ahmedabad region secretary Ashwin Patel objected to the poem published on page 389 of this year’s annual, alleging that it contained objectionable references to Lord Ram and Meera Bai and hurt Hindu religious sentiments.
The VHP said the inclusion of such a composition in a government publication was particularly disturbing as Diwali is associated with Lord Ram’s return to Ayodhya after completing 14 years of exile.
The organisation also sought action against the officials who approved the poem and called for a review of authors’ previous works before their works are included in government publications.
It further demanded that future government publications feature authors who have a positive outlook towards the nation, religion and culture.
Attempts to contact Information and Broadcasting Department Secretary Vikrant Pandey for comments were unsuccessful.
The online version of ‘Gujarat Deepotsavi Ank’ is available on the official website of the Gujarat government’s Commissionerate of Information.
(PTI News)
