Srinagar, Dec 19 (IANS): Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah assured on Thursday that a chapter on Kashmiri patron Sufi saint, Sheikh Noor-Ud-Din Wali, also called Sheikh-ul-Alam, will not be deleted from class 9 syllabus.

Omar posted on X on Thursday: “I assure @tarigami Sb that there will be no deletion of the chapter. The matter has already been taken up by @sakinaitoo sahiba as soon as this was brought to the attention of the government.”

M. Y. Tarigami, CPI-M leader and MLA had invited Omar’s attention to the reported deletion of a chapter on the saint’s life from class 9 syllabus.

Tarigami earlier said on X, “It is deeply troubling that an entire chapter on the revered Sufi saint Sheikh-ul-Alam has been dropped from the Class 9 textbook. This blue-pencilling, carried out prior to the Assembly polls, is unacceptable to a society rooted in rich Sufi traditions."

“I urge Chief Minister @OmarAbdullah to intervene and ensure that this crucial chapter is reinstated, thereby preserving and honouring our rich cultural and Sufi heritage.”

After the assurance by the Chief Minister that the chapter on the life of Sheikh Noor-Ud-Din Wali will not be deleted from class 9 syllabus, Ruling National Conference said on its official X post, “JKNC Chief Spokesperson & MLA Zadibal @tanvirsadiq assured that the chapter on Sheikh-ul-Alam will not be removed from textbooks. The Education Minister has directed the Principal Secretary to address and rectify the issue found in the PDF version.”

The reported deletion of the chapter on the life of Kashmir’s patron saint from school syllabus was also strongly criticised by Peoples Conference (PC) chief and MLA, Sajad Gani Lone. He rebuked the Board of School Education (BOSE) for the reported deletion.

Taking to X, Sajad said, “BOSE has removed a chapter based on the saintly life of the greatly revered saint of Kashmir Sheikh Noor-Ud-Din Wali, from text books of class 9."

“We have all revered him and people irrespective of religion hold him in highest esteem. This is pure cultural terrorism. It is an assault on our culture and ethos. I as a Kashmiri, strongly condemn it."

“More than any time in the past, the current times are smudged with violence, greed and hatred. In these times our great Saint is a beacon of hope and role model for emulation. And for the BOSE removers — Our great Saint and his Saintly ways were etched in our hearts and minds much before BOSE came into existence.”