Play at AMU Postponed After Controversy Surrounding Indian Map on Posters
New Delhi: A controversy over the display of a map of India, with parts of Jammu and Kashmir missing, stalled the staging of a play on the country's partition at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), authorities said.
The play, penned by famous Hindi playwright Asghar Wajahat and scheduled for Sunday evening at the AMU drama club, was put off after objections over its publicity posters carrying an erroneous map were raised.
The matter came to light a day earlier when Manvendra Singh, the vice-president of BJP's Brij Prant regional committee, pointed out that the posters carried a map of India without portions of Jammu and Kashmir.
The problem is a common one across India when publishers and event organisers turn to the Internet for a map of India that they can use as visual relief for publicity material. Since virtually every map of India made overseas does not show the whole state of Jammu and Kashmir within the borders of India, maps downloaded from the net often fall foul of Indian laws in this regard.
Also Read: Kashmiri Students Threaten to Leave AMU Unless Sedition Charges Against 3 Students are Dropped
AMU authorities immediately pulled all posters and issued notices to staff associated with the drama club.
AMU spokesman Prof Shafey Kidwai said the president of the drama club Dr Vibha Sharma and Abdul Mannan of the cultural education centre have been asked to submit their response on this matter.
Kidwai told PTI that the play titled "Jissay Lahore Nahin Dikhya --" has been performed in many countries of the world but banned in Pakistan after protests by Muslim hardliners.
The play, he said, highlights the tragedy of the partition of India and makes a strong plea for cross cultural bonds of undivided India.
In the past, the play has been performed at the AMU and several other cities of India. A decision regarding the holding of the play will now be taken only after investigation on the poster issue is cleared.
With inputs from PTI
This article went live on November nineteenth, two thousand eighteen, at thirty minutes past four in the afternoon.The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
