Jammu:
The counter-intelligence wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police has filed a first information report (FIR) and launched raids after a book available in school libraries was found glorifying separatists in two separate publications.
The books are ‘Personalities and Legends of J&K’, authored by Hilal Ahmad and Santosh Meena and published by Jammu-based Oberoi Book Service, and ‘Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir’, authored by Sushant Giri and published by Delhi-based Anurag Prakashan.
According to officials, 123 copies of one of the books were supplied to Jammu, Ramban and Udhampur districts, and 128 copies of the other book were supplied to Jammu and Baramulla districts.
Apart from sections under the BNS, the FIR included charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA. After filing the case, the police raided one of the premises of the publishers in Jammu.
They have seized both physical documents and digital evidence, officials said, adding no one has been arrested so far.
Earlier, before the raids began, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had suspended eight officials of the School Education Department, removed a contractual staff and ordered an inquiry into two controversial books found containing “highly inappropriate content”.
The department said the books were withdrawn on Friday. Leaders and workers of both the BJP and the Congress had protested and raised concerns that the books “glorified” separatism.
Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Sunil Sharma said the books had been distributed to libraries in numerous schools across Jammu and Kashmir.
“This is a grave offence. A book that praises Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, a book that refers to the region as India-occupied Kashmir, such a book is objectionable and controversial,” Sharma said.
“Be it the author, the publisher, the expert committee, and I wish to emphasize that even the education minister must be held accountable. It is the duty of the head of the government to immediately remove the education minister. There is absolutely no doubt that there is a specific agenda behind this; it is a massive conspiracy. We have no doubt that the National Conference government is involved in this from top to bottom,” Sharma said.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Police chief SP Vaid called the matter “truly shameful”, referring to the book that praised Maqbool Bhat as a martyr.
“He wanted to secede Jammu and Kashmir from India. He was involved in acts of terror and committed murder. You speak of figures like Masarat Alam, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and Shabir Shah, individuals who acted as mouthpieces here for the agendas of Pakistan’s ISI and establishment,” Vaid said.
“They sought to separate Jammu and Kashmir from India, radicalising local youth and inciting them to engage in stone-throwing. By portraying them as legends, you are signalling to the next generation that if they wish to become legends themselves, they should emulate these figures. The book describes Mirwaiz Umar Farooq as the last hope for Kashmir. Is this truly the sentiment of Jammu and Kashmir?” the former top cop said.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah yesterday said he has neither seen nor read the book.
