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Journalism of Courage
The Maharashtra State Commission for Women has issued a notice to poet Dinkar Manwar and the University of Mumbai after several organisations wrote to it voicing concerns over his poem ‘Paani Kasa Asta (the nature of water)’ and the university’s decision to include it in the curriculum. The commission has written to the university and directed the vice-chancellor to present himself before the commission for a hearing. The university had included the poem for third-year Arts students and following protests by many groups, it had subsequently dropped the poem from the curriculum.
“We have been receiving letter after letter to take cognisance of this matter. If the university has indeed dropped the poem from its curriculum, the same should be conveyed to the commission. The poet has also been directed to present himself for a hearing,” said Vijaya Rahatkar, the chairperson of the women commission.
During protests, activists had expressed concern over the poem’s reference to breasts of a tribal girl. In September, members of Shramjeevi Sanghatana had protested outside Education Minister Vinod Tawde’s house over the issue. Some had burnt copies of the poem on the Kalina campus of the university.
