SRINAGAR: A major political and administrative storm has erupted in Jammu and Kashmir after two books distributed to government school libraries were found to contain pro-separatist content and highly objectionable terminology.
In a sweeping crackdown, the J&K Lieutenant Governor’s administration has suspended eight education department officials, terminated a contractual employee, and ordered an expansive probe. Meanwhile, the J&K Police’s Counter Intelligence (CI) wing has conducted raids and registered a First Information Report (FIR) invoking the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The Books and the Controversial Content
The controversy centers on two books procured under the central Samagra Shiksha scheme, intended to serve as age-appropriate library material for over 18,000 government and PM SHRI schools across the Union Territory:
- “Personalities and Legends of J&K” authored by Hilal Ahmad and Santosh Meena (published by Jammu-based Oberoi Book Service).
- “Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir” authored by Dr. Sushant Giri (published by Delhi-based Anurag Prakashan).
According to officials and political groups who raised the alarm, the texts featured a deeply anti-national narrative. The books allegedly referred to the region using terms such as “Indian-Occupied Kashmir” and “Indian-Held Kashmir.” Furthermore, they glorified separatist leaders and militants, notably dedicating a passage to the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) founder Maqbool Bhat—who was hanged for murder in 1984—referring to him as a “Shaheed” (martyr) and “Shaheed-e-Azam.”
Administrative Action and Blacklisting
The books had reportedly been vetted and cleared by a sub-committee of experts comprising academicians from both the Jammu and Kashmir divisions, who shortlisted 463 books out of submissions from over 360 publishers. Following the discovery of the oversight:
- Suspensions: The School Education Department suspended eight officials—including library coordinators, academic officers, and sub-committee members—citing “serious negligence, dereliction of duty, and lack of proper due diligence.” A contractual computer assistant associated with the library coordination was immediately disengaged from service.
- Investigation Launched: The government appointed Ashwani Kumar, IAS, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), as the Inquiry Officer to conduct a comprehensive probe into how the material bypassed the expert panels. The report is expected within 30 days.
- Publishers Blacklisted: Both the authors and their respective publishing houses (Oberoi Book Service and Anurag Prakashan) have been entirely blacklisted in J&K. The administration ordered the immediate withdrawal of all their printed materials from the Union Territory.
Distribution Reached Several Districts
Despite the rapid withdrawal orders issued on July 3, the books had already entered the school system. According to the education department’s official order, the physical distribution included:
- 123 copies of Personalities and Legends of J&K supplied to schools in Jammu, Ramban, and Udhampur districts.
- 128 copies of Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir supplied to schools in the Jammu and Baramulla districts.
Police Raids and FIR
Taking severe note of the national security implications, the Police Station Counter Intelligence in Jammu registered a case under the UAPA and relevant sections of the BNS dealing with criminal conspiracy, endangering India’s sovereignty, and promoting enmity.
Subsequent to the FIR, police teams executed raids at multiple locations, including a publisher’s premises at Bahu Plaza in Jammu, seizing digital devices, ledgers, and physical documents to trace the origins and full distribution network of the books.
“Academic Jihad”: A Political Firestorm
The incident has triggered fierce political reactions. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged protests, with Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma demanding the resignation of J&K School Education Minister Sakeena Itoo. Sharma termed the inclusion of the books as “academic subversion” and “academic jihad against India,” accusing the system of attempting to revive separatist ideologies among the youth.
In response, Education Minister Sakeena Itoo assured that there would be zero tolerance for any conspiracy aimed at polluting young minds. She noted that suspension orders and an inquiry were initiated the moment the issue was brought to the administration’s attention, promising that the strictest possible action would be taken against everyone found culpable in the supply chain.