J&K orders screening of books with ‘anti-national’ content, opposition slams move

SRINAGAR/JAMMU: J&K govt and University of Kashmir have launched a comprehensive review of books, directing heads of departments and school principals to remove any material deemed “controversial” or “anti-national”.The move follows last week’s withdrawal and political row over a book for govt school libraries that described the region as “India-occupied Kashmir” and “Indian-held Kashmir”, and referred to banned JKLF founder Maqbool Bhat as “Shaheed”.The latest order for a review has drawn sharp reaction from Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi of the governing National Conference (NC), who called the decision “deeply troubling.” “Libraries exist to preserve knowledge, not curate political narratives. Erasing books does not erase history. It only impoverishes scholarship. Academic freedom and the right to engage with history must never become casualties of ideological control,” Mehdi said.PDP legislator Waheed Parra echoed the criticism, describing the review as “the process of unhistory.”On July 4, J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha ordered withdrawal of two books -- Personalities and Legends of J&K by Hilal Ahmad and Santosh Meena, and Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir by Sushant Giri over “highly inappropriate content”. Personalities and Legends of J&K had the references to “India-occupied Kashmir” and Bhat, who was hanged and buried in Tihar jail in Feb 1984 after being convicted of killing a CID inspector. Sinha, appointed by the Centre, oversees law and order in the Union territory of J&K.University of Kashmir registrar Naseer Iqbal confirmed orders to remove books with “anti-national content”. “We have asked departments to identify any book against national interest,” Iqbal said. The heads will examine whether any books contain objectionable content. “If any department finds a controversial book, it is expected to remove it on its own,” Iqbal added.Naseer Ahmad Wani, J&K’s director of school education, issued a fresh order Thursday to heads of govt and recognised private schools, and coaching institutions for a comprehensive screening of books. “The purpose is to ensure that no book contains objectionable content. This includes material that may violate religious sentiments of any section, may be inappropriate for students, potentially harm national interest....,” the order reads.If objectionable content is noticed, the heads should prepare a detailed report. They are also required to submit a compliance report by July 19 certifying that all books in their institutions have been reviewed and none has objectionable material, Wani’s order states.Meanwhile, Research and Advocacy Group (RAAG), an organisation in the field of legal research, constitutional advocacy and public policy, has approached National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in New Delhi seeking an inquiry into the controversial books.RAAG has argued that the circulation of books with objectionable content in govt school libraries is not merely a procurement lapse but a serious child-rights violation. The books exposed schoolchildren to material glorifying terrorists/separatists and promoting narratives contrary to the Constitution. This violates Right to Education Act, 2009, and National Education Policy, 2020.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.