Counter‑Intelligence Raids Intensify in J&K Book Controversy

SRINAGAR: The controversy surrounding two school‑library books accused of glorifying Kashmiri separatist figures has escalated into a full‑scale counter‑intelligence operation, with the Jammu and Kashmir Police conducting coordinated raids across Jammu and Noida on Monday.

According to officials, the Counter Intelligence (CI) wing of the J&K Police launched simultaneous searches early in the day at multiple locations linked to the production, approval and distribution of the disputed titles. The searches form part of an expanding investigation into how the books—intended for school libraries under the Samagra Shiksha programme—were cleared despite containing what authorities describe as “highly inappropriate” and potentially destabilising content.

CI teams raided the headquarters of Samagra Shiksha at Channi Himmat on the outskirts of Jammu, questioning the director and several officials involved in the procurement and vetting of educational material. At the same time, another CI team searched the premises of a publishing house in Noida believed to be associated with one of the books. Officials said the raids were still underway when the last reports were received, and that investigators were examining both physical records and digital files to trace responsibility for the approval and circulation of the titles.

The books at the centre of the storm—'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 Dr. Sushant Giri and published by Delhi‑based Anurag Prakashan—were distributed to schools across several districts. Officials confirmed that 123 copies of the first book were supplied to Jammu, Ramban and Udhampur, while 128 copies of the second reached schools in Jammu and Baramulla. Both were part of the annual library procurement under Samagra Shiksha, which approved 463 titles from 364 publishers this year.

The police registered an FIR on Saturday under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita—including provisions related to abetment, criminal conspiracy, endangering sovereignty, promoting enmity and circulating false or harmful material—along with Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. Soon after the FIR, CI teams searched the premises of a publisher at Bahu Plaza in Jammu, seizing documents and electronic devices. Officials emphasised that the investigation is ongoing and that no arrests have been made so far.

The administration moved swiftly after political parties, including the BJP and Congress, alleged that the books projected separatist leaders and individuals linked to militancy in a favourable light. Critics pointed to references such as “India‑occupied Kashmir” and positive portrayals of figures like Muhammad Maqbool Bhat, co‑founder of the Jammu Kashmir National Liberation Front (JKNLF), who was executed in 1984 following his conviction in the murder of an intelligence official. The allegations triggered immediate administrative action. J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha suspended eight officials of the School Education Department, disengaged a contractual employee, blacklisted the authors and publishers, and ordered a high‑level inquiry.

The suspended officials include a Library Coordinator, Assistant Coordinator, Principal, four Lecturers and an Academic Officer. The government accused them of “serious negligence” and failure to conduct due diligence, warning that the material had the potential to create a law‑and‑order situation. Ashwani Kumar, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary (Power Development Department), has been appointed Inquiry Officer, with Rohit Sharma, JKAS, serving as Presenting Officer. The inquiry committee has been directed to submit its findings within 30 days.

Political reactions have varied. Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma reiterated concerns about separatist glorification, while Education Minister Sakina Itoo condemned the incident as a “deliberate attempt” to influence young minds and demanded immediate accountability. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he had not seen the books and refrained from commenting on their content.

Kashmir’s chief Muslim cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said, “In a democratic society bans do not work, whether they are bans on books, ideas or organisations”. He added, “Kashmir has a 5,000 year old rich and layered history. Kashmiris are proud of their civilisational legacy, from the Buddhist period to Shaivism and Hindu traditions, and then the Islamic period, which shaped Kashmir’s spiritual, social and cultural identity. After 1947, Jammu and Kashmir also became a political issue, and this too is part of its modern history.” He further stated, “You cannot erase history or selectively project only that part of history which suits a particular narrative. Societies grow through openness, discussion and engagement, not by suppressing books or silencing perspectives. And facts remain facts.”

This episode unfolds against a broader backdrop of heightened scrutiny of publications in J&K. Last year, the administration ordered the forfeiture of 25 books by academics, journalists and historians, citing concerns over radicalisation and secessionist narratives. Police subsequently conducted searches across the Valley to prevent circulation of the banned titles. The move drew criticism from civil society groups, writers and scholars, who argued that academic works should be debated rather than suppressed. Supporters of the crackdown countered that material promoting militancy or separatism cannot be treated as neutral scholarship, especially in a region with a sensitive security environment.