Chapter on revered Sufi Saint removed from IIOJK textbook
India systematically Erasing symbols of Islam and Muslim Identity
Srinagar: In yet another move reflecting a systematic effort to erase Islamic heritage and Muslim identity in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, a chapter on the revered Sufi saint Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Wali (RA) has been omitted from the Class 9 English textbook published Board of School Education at the behest of New Delhi.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the revised “Tulip Series” textbook, introduced in 2023, now features only six chapters in its prose section, down from seven in the previous edition. The missing chapter on Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Wali (RA), a spiritual and cultural icon in the Kashmir Valley, has sparked outrage among the general public.
Former Srinagar mayor Junaid Azim Mattu criticized the omission, calling it an assault on Kashmir’s cultural 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 9. And these people will fight for our ‘Tashakhus’ (identity)?” Mattu stated on X, formerly Twitter.
Former deputy mayor Sheikh Imran also condemned the move, terming it a direct attack on the terrotpru’s spiritual heritage. “The removal of the chapter on Sheikh Noor-ud-din Wali (RA) from the Class 9 ‘Tulip Series’ textbook is a direct assault on Kashmir’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage. This brazen erasure under the Lt. Governor administration demands immediate accountability,” Imran said.
Critics argue that such changes in educational curricula reflect a larger agenda of cultural erasure, which has been accelerated under the BJP-led Indian government. Rights activists warn that these measures aim to dismantle Kashmir’s Islamic identity while promoting narratives aligned with the Hindutva ideology.
The omission of the chapter on Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Wali (RA) has fueled demands for immediate accountability and a reversal of policies perceived as targeting the cultural and religious heritage of IIOJK.
