Srinagar: The removal of a chapter on Sheikh Nooruddin Wali, one of Kashmir’s most revered Sufi saints, from the Class IX English textbook in Jammu and Kashmir has sparked controversy months after the change was implemented.
The decision has drawn criticism from several quarters, with detractors accusing the National Conference government, led by Omar Abdullah, of being responsible, even though the revision was carried out under the administration of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha before the return of Assembly elections.
Sheikh Nooruddin Wali, popularly known as Sheikh-ul-Alam, is a widely respected figure among Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits. His shrine at Charar-e-Sharief, which was destroyed during the 1995 was later rebuilt and remains a significant cultural and spiritual landmark.
Former Srinagar mayor Junaid Azim Mattu and his former deputy Sheikh Imran have been vocal critics of the omission.
Mattu accused the current government of undermining Kashmir’s heritage and questioned its commitment to preserving the region’s identity.
“A new accomplishment by the new NC Government. Chapter of Prose by Sheikh Noor-ud-din Wali (RA) removed from J&K Board English Textbook for Class 9th. And these people will fight for our Tashakhus (special identity of Kashmir) status?” Mattu wrote on social media platform X, sharing images of the textbook’s table of contents from two different years, highlighting the chapter’s absence in the latest edition.
Sheikh Imran also criticised the decision, calling it a direct assault on Kashmir’s cultural and spiritual heritage.
“This brazen erasure under the JKNC government demands immediate accountability and the chief minister must respond,” he said, adding sarcastically, “Omar Abdullah Sahib, your backtracking skills could probably win gold at the Reverse Olympics.”
The hybrid governance model in Jammu and Kashmir, where the roles of the chief minister and lieutenant governor remain undefined, has added to the confusion over responsibility for the decision.
Omar Abdullah’s government has faced calls to clarify its stance, but the education department has yet to respond to these allegations.