Omar Abdullah slams ban on 25 books, says LG administration responsible
Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday distanced himself from the recent ban on 25 books in the Union Territory, asserting that he has never supported such measures and would “never ban a book.”
Responding to a social media post demanding revocation of the ban, Abdullah clarified that the decision was taken by the Lieutenant Governor-led administration, not by his government.
“Get your facts right before you call me a coward, you ignoramus. The ban has been imposed by the LG using the only department he officially controls, the Home Department. I've never banned books and I never would,” Abdullah posted on X.
The J&K Home Department, under the LG’s control, issued an order under Section 98 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, declaring the books “forfeited” for allegedly promoting “secessionism.”
The banned list includes works by noted authors such as Moulana Moududi, Arundhati Roy, A G Noorani, Victoria Schofield, and David Devadas.
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Body of UP girl who fell in Meghalaya waterfall recovered
Shillong (PTI): The body of a 15-year-old girl from Uttar Pradesh who fell into a waterfall in Meghalaya's Sohra area while trying to take snaps a day ago was recovered on Thursday morning, officials said.
The girl had gone missing on Wednesday after she reportedly slipped while trying to take photographs and fell into one of the deep natural pools at the Wei Sawdong Falls, they said.
Search operations were conducted through Wednesday but were called off after sunset.
Around 7.30 am on Thursday, locals spotted the body stuck between rocks near the waterfall, officials said. Following this, a joint team of Fire and Emergency Services and the Sohra Police recovered the body around 10 am.
"Local village volunteers resumed the search early this morning and spotted the body, following which we recovered the body," a senior official told PTI.
The body has been sent for post-mortem, he added.
