Widespread Review of Educational Materials in Kashmir
Authorities in India-administered Kashmir have initiated an extensive audit of books, journals, dissertations, and digital resources across the region’s prominent libraries and educational institutions. This comprehensive review aims to identify and remove any content deemed “objectionable,” particularly material that might promote or glorify figures associated with Kashmir’s pro-freedom movement or incite unrest.
A government directive issued on July 9 mandated all educational institutions to vet their collections. The order specifically targets publications containing “misleading, factually incorrect, distorted, inflammatory, unlawful or otherwise objectionable material,” including any content that could “directly or indirectly promote, glorify, legitimise or justify terrorism, violent extremism, secessionism, radicalisation, communal disharmony or any activity prejudicial to the sovereignty, unity, integrity and security of nation.”
Beyond the initial audit, an investigation has also been launched to determine how books with “seditious content” entered public libraries and educational institutions. This inquiry, initially focused on school libraries, was recently expanded to include research publications, dissertations, journals, and digitally stored content at universities.
The region of Kashmir is a long-standing point of contention, claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan, who each control portions of the territory. In 2019, New Delhi revoked the semi-autonomous status of Indian-administered Kashmir, bringing it under direct federal control. Since this change, the region has experienced an increased crackdown on various sectors, including educational institutions, human rights activists, journalists, and pro-freedom groups.
Genesis of the Latest Crackdown
The current wave of scrutiny began earlier this month following a demand from Sunil Sharma, a politician affiliated with the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Sharma called for a ban on the book Personalities and Legends of J&K, co-authored by regional educationists Hilal Ahmad and Santosh Meena. J&K refers to Jammu and Kashmir, the official name of the region.
The 240-page book profiles notable politicians, activists, authors, poets, and historians from the region. While it includes figures such as Salman Rushdie and Hari Kunzru, authorities have specifically objected to the inclusion of certain Kashmiri separatists. Among those highlighted is Maqbool Bhat, a former separatist leader executed in 1984 following an Indian court order. The book refers to Bhat as a “martyr,” a term flagged by the BJP as problematic. Another figure mentioned is Masrat Alam Bhat, a separatist leader currently imprisoned since the 2019 crackdown. The book also notes that late separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani described Kashmir as a “disputed region awaiting political resolution under the aegis of the United Nations.”
Official Objections and Public Response
Ironically, Personalities and Legends of J&K, along with another book titled Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir by Sushant Giri, was originally distributed to public and school libraries through a government-funded program. However, BJP politician Sunil Sharma has controversially labeled the presence of such books as “academic jihad,” asserting that they aim to incite unrest in Kashmir. Sharma stated that these materials are attempting to “poison the minds of young people and children, pushing them back towards separatism and terrorism,” and called for their ban.
Following these accusations, police in Kashmir, which is administered by a New Delhi-appointed official rather than an elected local government, quickly acted. They arrested three individuals associated with the publishers of the two books, charging them with “endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity” of India.
For many residents of Kashmir, this extensive institutional audit of books has created an atmosphere of anxiety. A senior Kashmiri journalist, speaking anonymously due to fears of reprisal, expressed concern that “writing or even reading about the region’s past suddenly becomes fraught with risk.” The journalist added that recounting Kashmir’s history inevitably involves confronting its pain, conflict, and human rights issues. The individual admitted to removing old human rights reports and archival books from their personal collection, fearing they might be deemed “anti-national” by authorities, highlighting how “books have become the new threat” in Kashmir.
A bookseller in Srinagar, also requesting anonymity, conveyed confusion among booksellers regarding which titles are permissible and which are not. This uncertainty extends to libraries within schools, colleges, and universities, particularly in departments like law, social sciences, and humanities.
Government's Stance and Previous Actions
The BJP has defended the crackdown, arguing that allowing “seditious” literature contributes to “fanning militant violence” in the region. Sharma reiterated that such content is not genuine history or education but rather an attempt to “revive separatist ideology among the youth” and “spread hatred against India and its armed forces.”
This is not the first instance of the Indian government tightening its control over academia and publications in Kashmir. Last year, authorities banned 25 books, alleging they undermined India’s sovereignty, propagated false narratives, and incited separatism. These banned titles included works by acclaimed jurists, scholars, journalists, and novelists such as A.G. Noorani, Sumantra Bose, and Arundhati Roy. Police subsequently raided over a dozen bookshops to ensure these books were removed from circulation. Prior to this, books by Abul A’la Maududi, a prominent 20th-century Islamic scholar and founder of Jamaat-e-Islami (an organization now banned in Kashmir), were also prohibited, leading to the confiscation of 668 books from various Srinagar bookshops under claims of promoting a banned ideology.
Perspectives from Authors and Experts
Authors and experts view the intensified scrutiny as an “exercise in intimidation” aimed at criminalizing the act of reading. Journalist and writer Anuradha Bhasin, whose book The Dismantled State was among those banned last year, questioned the rationale, stating, “Even if there’s objectionable content here and there, how does that matter? After all, books are not bombs.” She argued that the administration is “going overboard” in its efforts to vet every publication on Kashmir. Bhasin predicted that this crackdown will foster a “scare” that will deter people from engaging with books discussing the complex context of the South Asian dispute. She also pointed out the ambiguity of the term “objectionable,” noting that anything could potentially fall under this classification, leading to libraries removing books to avoid staff suspension.
Political scientist Sumantra Bose, two of whose books, Kashmir at the Crossroads: Inside a 21st-Century Conflict (2021) and Contested Lands: Israel-Palestine, Kashmir, Bosnia, Cyprus, and Sri Lanka (2007), were banned last year, described the latest directives as “absurd.” He remarked that while authorities are free to dedicate extensive resources to such a search, he doubts its efficacy or sensible nature.
Mohamad Junaid, a Kashmiri anthropologist, characterized the book auditing in Kashmir as “memoricide.” He suggested that the “overpolicing” of books implies an effort to render Kashmiris “incapable of understanding their own condition,” serving as a prelude to their “physical erasure as a people.” Junaid concluded that it is a deliberate attempt to alter historical facts and forcibly change how people perceive their own experiences, aiming to prevent young Kashmiris from understanding their situation and to normalize governmental control.
Source: Original Article
