No deletion of chapter on sufi saint Sheikh-ul-Alam from textbook: CM

Srinagar, Dec 19: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday assured that there will be no deletion of the chapter on the revered Sufi saint Sheikh-ul-Alam from the Class 9 textbook. His statement came after concerns were raised by political leaders, social activists, and various groups about the removal of the chapter from the Class 9 PDF textbook.
Earlier, MLA Kulgam Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami had urged the Chief Minister to intervene and ensure the reinstatement of the “crucial” chapter. Tarigami, in a post on microblogging site X (formerly Twitter), expressed his dismay over the removal, calling it “deeply troubling.”
“It is deeply troubling that an entire chapter on the revered Sufi saint Sheikh-ul-Alam has been dropped from the Class IX textbook. This blue-pencilling, carried out prior to the Assembly polls, is unacceptable to a society rooted in rich Sufi traditions,” Tarigami wrote. He urged CM Omar Abdullah to intervene, stating the chapter’s reinstatement was essential to preserve the region’s cultural and Sufi heritage.
Responding to these concerns, CM Omar assured that the matter had already been addressed with Education Minister Sakina Itoo. “I assure Tarigami Sb that there will be no deletion of the chapter. The matter has already been taken up by Sakina Itoo sahiba as soon as this was brought to the attention of the government,” Omar Abdullah tweeted.
The removal of the chapter on Sheikh-ul-Alam had sparked a public outcry, with leaders like Peoples Conference Chief Sajad Lone voicing their concerns on social media. The controversy highlights the ongoing sensitivity surrounding the preservation of Kashmir’s cultural and spiritual heritage.