Key facts
- Authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir have ordered a comprehensive audit of all public libraries and educational institutions.
- The audit targets books and digital archives deemed "anti-national" or promoting extremism, violence, or secessionism.
- The crackdown was prompted by objections from the ruling BJP over two specific books distributed to over 250 schools.
- The books in question contained references to "Indian-occupied Kashmir" and referred to pro-freedom leaders as "martyrs".
- Several officials were suspended, publishers were blacklisted, and a broader campaign to regulate literature in Kashmir has been ongoing since 2019.
Authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir have initiated a sweeping audit across all public libraries and educational institutions, with the stated aim of purging books and digital archives deemed "anti-national" or those that "glorify terrorism." This directive, issued by the Jammu and Kashmir administration, mandates a thorough review of all reading materials, including books, journals, and reference works.
The order explicitly prohibits any publication that promotes extremism, violence, secessionism, or is otherwise prejudicial to India's sovereignty, unity, and integrity. The move follows objections raised by members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) concerning two specific books distributed under a government-funded scheme to over 250 schools.
These books, 'Personalities and Legends of Jammu and Kashmir' by Hilal Ahmad and Santosh Meena, and 'Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir' by Dr Sushant Giri, reportedly used terminology such as "Indian-occupied Kashmir" and referred to pro-freedom leaders like Maqbool Bhat as "martyrs." BJP leader Sunil Sharma condemned their inclusion as an "academic jihad" and a challenge to India's territorial integrity.
In response to the protests, Manoj Sinha, the region's administrative head, suspended eight officials from the School Education Department and ordered an investigation. Both publishers have been blacklisted, and their previously published materials are also subject to withdrawal. This action is part of a broader pattern of censorship and regulation of literature in Kashmir, particularly since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which stripped the region of its semi-autonomous status.