Mumbai: Questions about last week's 'Bahar-e-Urdu' event that was organised to celebrate the golden jubilee the Maharashtra State Urdu Sahitya Academy. A letter to the Chief Minister asked for an inquiry to find out if the event held at the Dome, SVP Stadium, Worli, between October 6 and 8 was handed over to an event management company without calling for tenders.

Member of Legislative Assembly, Rais Shaikh, who have been campaigning for a larger grant and a management committee for the academy which is functioning with inadequate staff and insufficient funds, has asked why Rs 10 crores was spent on what was more a Bollywood-style event rather than a literature and cultural festival.

"There was no consultation with the community or the larger Urdu-speaking fraternity. Much of the money

See Full Page