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Aamir Aziz

‘This Is Theft, Erasure’: Aamir Aziz Accuses Anita Dube of Using His Poem Without Consent; Artist Apologises

Poet Aamir Aziz alleged his poem was used in Anita Dube’s Delhi exhibition without consent. Dube called not checking with him an ethical lapse and apologised; no court ruling is established in the cited reports.

By ThatPainter Team 3 min read
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Poet Aamir Aziz accused artist Anita Dube of using words from his poem Sab Yaad Rakha Jayega in artworks shown at her Delhi exhibition Timanjala Ghar without his knowledge or consent. Dube said she had not checked with him before using the words, called that an “ethical lapse,” apologised and offered remuneration. Vadehra Art Gallery said the works Aziz objected to were not being offered for sale while discussions continued. The reporting documents the parties’ accounts, not a court finding of plagiarism or copyright infringement.

What Aziz alleged about the exhibition

At Timanjala Ghar, an exhibition at Vadehra Art Gallery in Delhi, Aziz said he recognised phrases from Sab Yaad Rakha Jayega incorporated into an artwork. He said he had not given permission and that the work used his poem without his “knowledge, consent, credit or compensation.” He characterised the use in a commercial gallery setting as “theft” and “erasure.” Those are Aziz’s allegations and descriptions, not findings established by the cited reporting.

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Scroll reported that Aziz first shared the poem on his YouTube channel in January 2020 amid protests against India’s Citizenship Amendment Act. Aziz said a friend alerted him on March 18, 2025, that lines from the poem appeared in a work on display. Scroll’s account of the poem’s earlier sharing and Aziz’s account of how he learned about the gallery work are reported here: Scroll.

What Dube and the gallery said

Dube acknowledged not checking with Aziz

Dube said she intended to celebrate the poem. She acknowledged that she had credited Aziz but had not checked with him before using his words, calling the failure an “ethical lapse.” Scroll reported her statement: “I realise that I made an ethical lapse in only giving credit, but not checking with Aamir using words from his poem.” Dube said she had reached out, apologised, offered to correct the situation through remuneration and hoped for a fair resolution. Her account does not, by itself, determine legal responsibility.

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The gallery paused sales of the disputed works

Vadehra Art Gallery said it took the situation seriously and ensured the works Aziz had concerns about were not offered for sale while discussions continued. The gallery’s reported statement was: “We immediately ensured that the works Aamir Aziz has concerns with were not offered for sale.” That describes the gallery’s action during the reported discussions; it does not establish that the parties reached a final agreement.

What is known about the timeline

  • January 2020: Scroll reported that Aziz first shared Sab Yaad Rakha Jayega on YouTube amid anti-CAA protests.
  • March 18, 2025: Aziz said a friend told him that lines from the poem appeared in a gallery work.
  • April 20–21, 2025: Aziz made his allegation publicly, and Dube and Vadehra Art Gallery responded, according to coverage published on April 21.
  • Earlier alleged use: Hindustan Times reported Aziz’s allegation that the poem had also appeared in a 2023 exhibition. The cited report does not independently resolve that claim: Hindustan Times.

Why consent, credit and payment are different questions

The dispute brings several issues into view that can be blurred together when poetry is incorporated into visual art. Credit identifies an author; consent concerns whether the author agreed to the use; remuneration concerns payment. Dube’s reported account acknowledges that she did not check with Aziz, while Aziz objected to the use without his permission, credit and compensation. The gallery’s decision not to offer the disputed works for sale addressed their commercial availability during discussions, but the reporting does not say that this resolved Aziz’s concerns or settled the parties’ broader disagreement.

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An Indian Express opinion article frames the controversy through tensions between artistic inspiration, reproduction and the idea of a cultural commons. It is commentary on the debate, not a ruling on the parties’ rights: The Indian Express opinion.

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Has plagiarism or copyright infringement been legally established?

No court finding is established in the cited coverage. “Plagiarism,” “theft” and “erasure” appear as public framings of the allegation; they should not be treated as interchangeable with a legal determination. Hindustan Times reported a lawyer’s view of Indian copyright law, but that commentary is not an adjudication of this dispute. The available reports also do not establish whether Aziz and Dube ultimately reached an agreement or whether the disputed works were later handled differently. The Indian Express’s report on the allegation is available here.

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