Tag: Indian poet

  • Indian poet stands with Palestinians, refuses American award

    Indian poet stands with Palestinians, refuses American award

    Indian poet Jacinta Kerketta has declined an award from an American organization as an act of protest against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

    Jacinta Kerketta was selected for the ‘Room to Read Young Author Award 2024’ by an Indian non-governmental organization in collaboration with USAID, for her children’s poetry collection Jirhul. However, she refused to accept the award, citing the USA’s involvement in the Gaza genocide.

    “The local organization that selected me for the award works for children’s education, but it is funded by organizations like USAID, which do business with arms companies responsible for the massacre of children in Gaza,” she said.

    She added, “How can the business of armaments and the care for children coexist when the world of children is being destroyed by these same weapons?”

    She concluded, “Books are important for children, but thousands of children were killed in Palestine, and elders are unable to protect them.”

  • Information Ministry uses Indian poem for new Kashmir song

    Information Ministry uses Indian poem for new Kashmir song

    The Information Ministry has come under fire for using an Indian poem as a new national song to mark Friday’s “Kashmir Hour” that was observed across the country on Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s call.

    As per the details, the poem “Han Main Kashmiri Hun” by Indian poet and politician Imran Pratapgarhi was played on television channels across the country as the nation expressed solidarity with Kashmiris suffering at the hands of Indian occupying forces.

    Special Assistant to the PM on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan also shared the song on Twitter and wrote, “This poem accurately describes the plight of residents of Kashmir and how they are enduring Indian cruelty. We are standing with Kashmiris.”

    The move was criticised by Twitterati, who asked why an Indian poem was used by the government when several Pakistani poets had also written about Kashmir.

    PM’s aide was also criticised for not giving credit to the Indian poet who had written the poem over a decade ago.