Mumbai: The Maharashtra government announced that the decision to relocate the Urdu Sahitya Academy has been put on hold. Minority Affairs Minister Dattatray Bharne announced the decision after a meeting with Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh, who had conveyed the anguish of Urdu lovers over the notice to the academy to vacate its office at Old Customs House, Horniman Circle.
The Urdu Sahitya Academy, established in 1975, was preparing to celebrate its golden jubilee when it was asked to look for an alternate space in May. Bharne said that the academy will not be relocated until government-owned, fully furnished 2,000 sq ft premises are available. The academy is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry for Minority Affairs, and the space at Old Customs House is owned by the cultural ministry.
Shaikh said that the government decision is a victory for Urdu lovers. The decision was announced following a high-level meeting chaired by Bharne on Tuesday in response to a calling attention motion moved by Shaikh in the state assembly. The government has agreed to create a permanent corpus fund of Rs 10 crore for the Urdu Sahitya Academy, with a tenure of 50 years. The government is also positively considering a separate annual provision of Rs five crore, said Shaikh.
“The decision to halt the relocation and ensure that the academy remains within a government facility is a victory for the just demands of the Urdu-speaking population. The minister assured that there will be no relocation until a fully furnished, government-owned 2,000 sq ft premises is made available. It is a welcome move by the government. I have consistently followed up on this issue through letters and legislative tools. This outcome is reassuring for all Urdu lovers,” said MLA Rais Shaikh.
During the meeting, several issues concerning the minority community were discussed, including vacant positions in the Minority Research and Training Institute and vacancies in the Minority Commissionerate.
“Minister Bharne assured that if a suitable government space is not identified for the Akademi in two months, the existing premises will be renovated. He also directed that the seven vacant staff positions in the academy be filled immediately. If regular appointments are delayed, contractual recruitment will be undertaken to ensure smooth functioning,” Shaikh added.
The academy, established to promote Urdu, had stalwarts such as Ismat Chughtai, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, and Setu Madhavrao Pagdi in its first committee. However, inadequate funding and a shortage of staff have forced the academy to curtail its activities in the last decade.
