J&K Book Ban Controversy Sparks Political Debate

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)

• CS Defends Removal of 4,249 Banned Books; Omar Questions Elected Govt's Role
• Mirwaiz Seeks Transparency, Says Withdrawals Could Affect Academic Freedom

Srinagar- The controversy over the withdrawal of books from government educational institutions in Jammu and Kashmir intensified on Wednesday, with Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo defending the removal of banned titles, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah questioning the role of the elected government in such decisions, and Kashmir's chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq seeking greater transparency.

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Dulloo said books banned under provisions of law should not be kept in government schools and colleges, describing the examination of books as a regular process.

“Banned books, which the government has banned under provisions of law, should not be in government schools or colleges. The government has taken this decision,” he said while speaking to reporters during his visit to Sheetal Nath Temple near Kral Khud in Srinagar.

His remarks came a day after the Jammu and Kashmir government informed the Legislative Assembly that 4,249 books had been withdrawn from circulation in government degree college libraries, while 518 copies of 19 banned titles had been removed.

The government said 21,81,582 books and publications had been examined so far, with another 1,752 books referred for expert examination.

The issue has triggered questions over the criteria used to classify books as objectionable or banned and the authority under which the withdrawals were carried out.

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Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the elected government currently has no role in decisions concerning book bans under the prevailing administrative arrangement.

“I have my own views on whether books should be banned or not. But unfortunately, in the current system, the elected government doesn't get to decide these things,” Omar told reporters on Wednesday.

Read Also Elected J&K Govt Has No Role in Book Ban: CM Omar Mirwaiz Calls Withdrawal of 4,700+ Books 'Disturbing, Unfortunate'

He said the issue raised a wider question about whether banning books was the way forward in a democracy and indicated that the elected government would review the matter if the administrative arrangement changed.

Kashmir's chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also criticised the withdrawal of the books, describing it as“disturbing and unfortunate”.

He questioned what made the books objectionable and called for the titles and reasons for their removal to be made public.

Mirwaiz said academic freedom and access to diverse perspectives were fundamental to education and argued that restricting what students could read could affect learning and critical thought.

The controversy has also drawn attention in the Legislative Assembly, where members have sought details about the books withdrawn, the criteria applied during the review and the legal basis for their removal.

Meanwhile, Dulloo, during his visit to Sheetal Nath Temple, described the shrine as an important part of Srinagar's shared heritage and called for collective efforts to preserve such sites.

He said the temple is believed to be one of the eight Bhairavas associated with the protection of Srinagar and had historically served not only as a place of worship but also as a venue for community gatherings and religious programmes.

Dulloo said the temple was burnt in 1991 and later repaired by the Sanatan Dharma Sabha. It was reopened for devotees in 2021 after remaining closed for several decades.

He said preserving such heritage sites and passing their legacy to future generations was a collective responsibility.

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