SRINAGAR (Kashmir English): In another move to suppress dissent and control the narrative in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the BJP-led Hindutva government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ordered the seizure of 25 books, claiming they promote a separatist ideology.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an official directive stating that the books in question distort historical facts, defame security forces, and allegedly incite violence, thereby radicalizing the youth.
The order claims that these publications pose a threat to national integrity and public order, and should therefore be confiscated immediately.
The banned books
The banned books include works on Kashmir’s disputed history and the region’s human rights situation, authored by noted Kashmiri, Indian, and international writers.
Among the authors whose works have been targeted are Mohammad Yusuf Saraf, Hafsa Kanjwal, Dr. Abdul Jabbar Gohkhami, Ather Batool, Simar Qazi, A.G. Noorani, Angana Chatterji, Arundhati Roy, Dr. Shamshad Ahmad, Ayesha Jalal, Dr. Afaq, and Radhika Gupta.
Kashmiris continue to fight for their internationally recognized right to self-determination and the end of India’s illegal occupation. However, rather than acknowledging this reality, the Modi regime is intensifying its crackdown on freedom of expression in the territory.
The ban on books that document the suffering of Kashmiris and expose the ongoing repression reflects India’s continued denial of ground realities in the occupied region.
The decision to confiscate these works is being viewed as yet another example of New Delhi’s authoritarian approach, silencing voices that highlight the truth about Kashmir’s political and human rights situation.
