J&K government bans 25 books citing threat to security; AG Noorani, Arundhati Roy among authors
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday issued an order banning 25 books authored by prominent Indian and international scholars, writers, and activists, citing concerns over national security, secessionism, and youth radicalization in the region.
A notification (S.O.203) issued by the Home Department invoked Section 98 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and Sections 152, 196, and 197 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, to declare the books as forfeited to the government, ordering their seizure from public and private circulation across the Union Territory.
The notification claims that intelligence inputs and investigations revealed that the books in question contributed to the "systematic dissemination of false narratives," glorified terrorism, vilified security forces, and incited youth toward secessionist violence.
Among the banned authors are Islamic scholar Syed Abul A’la Maududi, legal and constitutional expert A.G. Noorani, celebrated author and activist Arundhati Roy, historians Ayesha Jalal and Sugata Bose, political scientist Sumantra Bose, and Kashmiri academics Hafsa Kanjwal, Ather Zia, and Essar Batool.
“This literature would deeply impact the psyche of youth by promoting a culture of grievance, victimhood, and terrorist heroism,” the notification stated, further alleging that such publications distorted historical facts, promoted alienation, and acted as a "pathway to violence and terrorism."
The government contended that the banned material not only glorifies terrorism and militancy but also undermines India’s sovereignty and unity, making their circulation a cognizable offense under newly enforced criminal laws.
The complete list of banned books includes:
Human Rights Violations in Kashmir – Piotr Balcerowicz & Agnieszka Kuszewska
Kashmir’s Fight for Freedom – Mohd Yosuf Saraf
Colonizing Kashmir – Hafsa Kanjwal
Kashmir Politics and Plebiscite – Dr. Abdul Jabbar Gockhami
Do You Remember Kunan Poshpora? – Essar Batool et al.
Mujahid ki Azaan – Imam Hasan Al-Bana Shaheed (ed. Maulana Enayatullah Subhani)
Al Jihadul fil Islam – Syed Abul A’la Maududi
Independent Kashmir – Christopher Snedden
Resisting Occupation in Kashmir – Haley Duschinski, Mona Bhan, Ather Zia, Cynthia Mahmood
Between Democracy and Nation – Seema Kazi
Contested Lands – Sumantra Bose
In Search of a Future – David Devadas
Kashmir in Conflict – Victoria Schofield
The Kashmir Dispute 1947–2012 – A.G. Noorani
Kashmir at the Crossroads – Sumantra Bose
A Dismantled State – Anuradha Bhasin
Resisting Disappearance – Ather Zia
Confronting Terrorism (ed.) – Maroof Raza (incl. Stephen P. Cohen)
Freedom in Captivity – Radhika Gupta
Kashmir: The Case for Freedom – Tariq Ali, Hilal Bhatt, Angana P. Chatterji, Pankaj Mishra, Arundhati Roy
Azadi – Arundhati Roy
USA and Kashmir – Dr. Shamshad Shan
Law and Conflict Resolution in Kashmir – Balcerowicz & Kuszewska
Tarikh-i-Siyasat Kashmir – Dr. Afaq
Kashmir and the Future of South Asia – Sugata Bose & Ayesha Jalal
This move has already drawn criticism from civil liberties advocates, who fear a chilling effect on academic freedom and dissent. The government, however, maintains that the ban is a necessary measure to safeguard the peace and sovereignty of the Union Territory.
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Rain wreaks havoc in Bengaluru, kills 10
Bengaluru (PTI):The rains in Bengaluru on Wednesday evening wreaked havoc, killing 10 people, authorities said.
Heavy rains coupled with a hailstorm and gusty winds uprooted trees, flooded many key stretches and threw traffic out of gear, they said on Thursday.
Large parts of the city witnessed sudden, intense rainfall for nearly an hour, bringing down trees and electric poles, crushing parked vehicles and inundating low-lying areas, while several roads were rendered impassable, severely disrupting vehicular movement during peak hours.
Seven people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed when a compound wall of the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital collapsed amid the downpour.
Among the deceased, two were from Kerala who were on a study tour. They had taken shelter near the wall when it gave way, they said.
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In another incident, a 35-year-old man, identified as Raghu, died of electrocution on Bannerghatta Road near Vega City Mall.
In a separate case in Yarab Nagar, a student, Syed Sufiyan died after coming into contact with a live electric wire while attempting to park his motorcycle during the rain, police said.
One more fatality was reported from Chamarajapet, where Manjunath died on the spot after a cement block fell and pierced through the roof of a house during the storm.
The sudden spell of rain left a trail of destruction across the city.
“So far, 10 people have died due to rain-related incidents in Bengaluru,” police said, attributing the deaths to wall collapse, electrocution and structural damage triggered by the storm.
Civic authorities said at least 87 trees were uprooted and 131 branches snapped across the city, disrupting daily life.
Of these, 60 trees and 98 branches had been cleared, while restoration work was ongoing.
Several cars and two-wheelers parked along roadsides were crushed under fallen trees.
Key junctions and underpasses were waterlogged, with the KR Circle underpass completely submerged, forcing police to barricade the stretch due to lack of drainage.
Fallen branches and stalled vehicles further worsened traffic congestion, leaving commuters stranded for hours.
Officials said buildings suffered partial damage in several areas, while the sudden and unanticipated nature of the storm caught many residents off guard. Authorities have issued a rain alert for the next three days.
