Police Raids in Kashmir Bookshops Spark Outrage Over L-G’s Ban on 25 Books

Quick Summary

• Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted widespread searches of bookshops across the Kashmir Valley on august 7, 2025, targeting 25 books declared “forfeited” by the Lieutenant-Governor’s administration.
• Searches were conducted at Srinagar’s Chinar Book Festival 2025 and bookshops in districts like Srinagar, Anantnag, Ganderbal, and Handwara.
• The Home Department invoked section 98 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (2023) to categorise these books as promoting false narratives or secessionist ideologies harmful to India’s unity.
• Authors targeted include prominent figures such as A.G. Noorani, Arundhati Roy, Sumantra Bose, Ayesha Jalal, among others. Various publishers were forewarned about bringing certain works to public events.
• Opposition from writers and political parties was severe: Anuradha Bhasin challenged claims that her work glorifies terrorism; Mehbooba Mufti argued censorship deepens mistrust; other leaders like M.Y. Tarigami termed it an attack on free speech while National Conference spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar questioned the intent behind banning scholarly works.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The sweeping ban on books in Jammu & Kashmir raises pertinent questions about balancing national security interests with democratic values like freedom of expression and intellectual debate. While authorities justify these actions under Section 98 for safeguarding sovereignty against potentially divisive ideologies,critics argue that silencing scholarly work risks overreach and suppression of dissenting viewpoints-integral elements in any thriving democratic society.

the timing during the Chinar Book Festival further amplifies concerns regarding contradictory messaging about literary freedom versus censorship tendencies within governance frameworks post-August 2019 (abrogation of Article 370). for India’s global image as a democratic nation rooted in constitutional liberties, measures perceived as stifling dialog could have implications for goodwill both domestically in J&K and internationally among rights advocacy groups who follow such developments closely.

Read more here: Jammu & Kashmir News – The Hindu