The Maharashtra State Commission for Women on Thursday issued a notice to Marathi poet Dinkar Manwar over a poem which has drawn criticism from certain quarters for 'insulting' tribal women.
The poem is part of "Drushya Naslelya Drushyat" (In A Scene Which Can't Be Seen), Manwar's debut collection of poems which was included in the syllabus of Mumbai University.
The poem uses the imagery of 'breasts of tribal girl' at one place while talking about ever-changing colours of water.
The imagery provoked protests from some organisations for allegedly insulting tribal women, and the poem was dropped from the syllabus by the varsity.
The State Commission for Women too received complaints against Manvar for "hurting and insulting" the sentiments of the tribal communities.
"Acting on the complaints, the commission has issued a notice to the poet and has asked him to appear on October 20," said a statement issued by the commission here.
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Vice-Chancellor of Mumbai University has also been directed to clarify the stand of its syllabus committee which included the poem in the curriculum, the statement added.
Members of Akhil Bharatiya Adivasi Vikas Parishad and the NCP's student wing had burnt copies of the poem at the varsity's Kalina campus here recently.
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