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Authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir have issued a sweeping order directing all educational institutions to review books and other published material for "inappropriate and objectionable" content, a move that has triggered debate over academic freedom and the region's history.

The order, issued on July 9, applies to schools, colleges, universities and coaching centres, requiring them to screen all published material on their premises — including research papers, academic theses, journals, dissertations and digital resources — for content that could violate "religious sentiments, laws, educational values and established norms," as reported by the BBC.

According to Al Jazeera, the directive aims to "prevent the procurement, circulation or retention of any publication containing misleading, factually incorrect, distorted, inflammatory, unlawful or otherwise objectionable material, including any content which directly or indirectly promotes, glorifies, legitimises or justifies terrorism, violent extremism, secessionism, radicalisation, communal disharmony or any activity prejudicial to the sovereignty, unity, integrity and security of nation."

Coverage Comparison

The order has been reported by both Al Jazeera and the BBC, with overlapping but distinct emphases.

Al Jazeera frames the move as a "crackdown" on books, highlighting that authorities have also ordered an investigation into how books with "seditious content" made their way into public libraries and educational institutions. The inquiry, initially limited to school libraries, was broadened to include research publications, dissertations, journals, and digitally stored content at universities.

The BBC's coverage focuses on the debate the order has sparked, noting that opposition parties, academics and students say the move is an attack on academic freedom and an attempt to erase Kashmir's turbulent history.

Both outlets report that the order follows recent protests by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over two government school library books that the party said glorified separatist leaders and promoted anti-national sentiments.

Key Claims

  • The order directs all educational institutions in Indian-administered Kashmir to vet books, journals, dissertations, doctoral theses and digital resources to prevent the procurement, circulation or retention of publications containing misleading, factually incorrect, distorted, inflammatory, unlawful or otherwise objectionable material, as reported by Al Jazeera and the BBC.
  • The order was issued on July 9, according to Al Jazeera.
  • The BJP's Sunil Sharma demanded a ban on a book titled "Personalities and Legends of J&K," which includes profiles of key Kashmiri separatists, including Maqbool Bhat, Masrat Alam Bhat, and Syed Ali Shah Geelani, as reported by Al Jazeera.
  • The government has defended the crackdown, arguing that the inclusion of "seditious" literature amounts to "fanning militant violence" in the restive region, as reported by Al Jazeera.
  • Last year, authorities banned 25 books, claiming they undermined India's sovereignty, spread false narratives and instigated separatism, as reported by both Al Jazeera and the BBC. The BBC noted that the banned books included works by Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy.
  • The ban is being challenged in court, as reported by the BBC.

Perspectives

Government of India: Authorities insist the directive is not about restricting reading but removing material they say is factually inaccurate or unlawful, including content that "promotes, glorifies, legitimises or justifies terrorism, violent extremism, secessionism, radicalisation" or any activity prejudicial to the security of the nation, as reported by the BBC.

Opposition parties, academics, and students: Critics say the move is an attack on academic freedom and an attempt to erase Kashmir's turbulent history, as reported by the BBC.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): The party, which governs nationally but is in opposition in Jammu and Kashmir, protested over two government school library books it said glorified separatist leaders and promoted anti-national sentiments, as reported by the BBC.