The Jammu and Kashmir government’s decision to remove a chapter on one of the most revered Kashmiri Sufi saints, Sheikh Nooruddin Wali, from the Class IX English textbook has triggered a row months after the move.

Detractors have criticised the Omar Abdullah government for the move although the change had been carried out by the lieutenant governor’s administration before Assembly elections returned to Jammu and Kashmir.

Popularly called Sheikh-ul-Alam, he is revered by Muslims as well as many Kashmiri Pandits. His Charar-e-Sharief shrine was razed to the ground along with many houses in the area during the infamous 1995 siege by security forces to flush out militants who had taken refuge there, but later rebuilt.

Former Srinagar mayor Junaid Azim Mattu and his former deputy Sheikh Imran blamed the Omar government for the removal of the chapter on the saint.

“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 9th. And these people will fight for our ‘Tashakhus’ (special identity of Kashmir) status?,” Mattu posted on X.

Mattu also posted pictures of the table of contents of the book for two years, one with the chapter and another where it is missing.

Sheikh Imran said theremoval of the chapter wasa direct assault on “Kashmir’s rich cultural and spiritualheritage”.

“This brazen erasure under the JKNC government demands immediate accountability and the chief minister must respond,” he said. “Is the education department with you or not? Or are they still deciding mid-step because, Omar Abdullah Sahib, your backtracking skills could probably win gold at the Reverse Olympics,” he said, dripping sarcasm.

In the hybrid model of governance in J&K, the powers of lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha and chief minister Omar are not defined.

An English teacher at a government school said the change came at the start of the academic year this March but the issue has triggered a row only now.

“The chapter was there in last year’s English book. Later last year, we were told not to field questions in the paper (exam) from the chapter. In the session that began in March this year, the chapter was entirely removed,” he said.