Separatist leader and chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has questioned the Jammu and Kashmir Government's decision to remove more than 4,000 objectionable books from libraries across the Union Territory.
The Jammu and Kashmir Government informed the Legislative Assembly that the Higher Education Department had removed 4,249 books from libraries of colleges and other higher educational institutions after reviewing more than 21.81 lakh books and other publications.
The government said the books were removed after they were found to contain material allegedly glorifying terrorists and anti-national elements, following verification and screening.
According to official figures, 3,996 of the books removed were from educational institutions in the Kashmir division, while 253 belonged to institutions in the Jammu division. The figures, however, do not include books formally banned under a separate process.
The department said it had so far reviewed a total of 2,181,582 books and other publications, including 1,248,641 in the Kashmir division and 932,941 in the Jammu division.
The government said the review process was extensive and time-consuming, given the large volume of material available in college and institutional libraries. The screening of other material considered objectionable is still underway and may take additional time to complete.
The government further informed the House that 518 copies of 19 titles formally banned under Government Order SO-203, dated August 5, 2025, had also been removed from circulation.
The department said guidelines and defined criteria had been adopted for identifying and reviewing material available in college libraries.
According to the government, institutions of higher education have a responsibility not only to promote higher education, research and academic excellence but also to foster an environment that encourages constitutional values, academic freedom, critical thinking, scientific temper and responsible citizenship.
The action concerning the formally banned books has also been challenged before the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court.
The petitioners have questioned the validity of SO-203 and raised issues concerning constitutional rights associated with the order. The government, meanwhile, has defended the action, citing legal provisions and public interest.
The review of library material remains in progress, with the department maintaining that the exercise is being conducted in accordance with the prescribed guidelines and criteria.
Mirwaiz questions withdrawal of objectionable books.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has questioned the withdrawal of 4,249 books described as "objectionable" from colleges and libraries across Jammu and Kashmir, with nearly 4,000 of them reportedly removed from institutions in Kashmir.
The disclosure by the Government in the Legislative Assembly that the Higher Education Department has withdrawn 4,249 “objectionable” books from colleges and libraries across J&K, with almost 4000 of them from Kashmir alone, is both disturbing and unfortunate. What exactly…
— Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (@MirwaizKashmir) September 23, 2026
In a post on X, Mirwaiz sought the public disclosure of the titles of the books and the reasons for their removal.
"The disclosure by the Government in the Legislative Assembly that the Higher Education Department has withdrawn 4,249 'objectionable' books from colleges and libraries across J&K, with almost 4,000 of them from Kashmir alone, is both disturbing and unfortunate," he said.
"What exactly made these books objectionable? The titles and reasons for their removal must be made public," he added.
Mirwaiz said academic freedom and access to diverse perspectives were fundamental to education and the development of society.
"Attempts to ideologically regulate what students can and cannot read impoverish learning and critical thought," he said.
Questioning the rationale behind the decision, he asked, "By withdrawing these books, whose agenda is the elected government implementing — its own or someone else's? People deserve clarity on that."
Mirwaiz said transparency was essential on an issue concerning educational institutions and access to knowledge, adding that people had a right to know the basis on which such a large number of books had been removed from circulation.
Two controversial books banned in July, eight Education Department officials suspended
In July this year, the Jammu and Kashmir Government banned two controversial books from government school libraries after they were found to contain content allegedly glorifying convicted terrorist Maqbool Bhat and several separatist leaders.
The government also suspended eight School Education Department officials, ordered a high-level inquiry, blacklisted the authors and publishers, and directed the immediate withdrawal of the books from schools.
Following a public outcry over the alleged glorification of terrorists and anti-national elements, the Jammu and Kashmir Government banned two books titled Personalities and Legends of J&K and Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir.
The government also suspended eight officials of the School Education Department over the procurement and approval of the books, which allegedly contained inappropriate and separatist-related content for government school libraries, and ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter.
The books, in which convicted terrorist Maqbool Bhat was referred to with the honorific title "Shaheed", were procured using public funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme of the Jammu and Kashmir Government.
The books, approved by an expert committee comprising senior officials of the Education Department, also allegedly glorified separatist and anti-India leaders, including Masarat Alam, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and jailed separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, by portraying them as "Great Personalities" and "Legends" of Jammu and Kashmir.
