One of two books barred by J&K government available in Jammu University since 2022

On Sunday, the Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested three publishers over two controversial books that had made their way into school libraries in the Union Territory. But one of these books, Personalities and Legends of J&K, has been available in Jammu University’s Central Library since 2022.

The police action against the book and its publisher followed allegations that it contained chapters glorifying separatist leaders and militants.

Since then, Personalities and Legends of J&K has also been “sealed’’ and “removed’’ from Jammu University’s library, a source said. When contacted, the officiating Head of the Political Science Department that procured the book, Prof Sunil Kumar, refused to comment on the matter.

The book, written by Hilal Ahmed and Santosh Meena, was first published by Delhi-based Paradise Press in 2017. It was this edition that was procured by the Political Science Department.

In 2017, J&K had a coalition government led by the PDP and including the BJP. When Jammu University procured it in 2022, J&K was a Union territory and under Central rule. Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, the head of the administration in J&K, is the Chancellor of Jammu University.

Jammu University officials said the book was procured following a request by several students and research scholars in the Political Science Department. According to sources, there were, however, very few requisitions by students to borrow it.

A senior functionary of the university’s Central Library said their duties include slotting the nearly five lakh books in its collection into sections, allocating them unique identification numbers, and maintaining data. The library has a separate Kashmir section.

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After a circular withdrawing the controversial books – apart from Personalities and Legends of J&K, the government barred Great Personalities of Jammu & Kashmir – a “comprehensive academic and content audit” of academic material in colleges, universities and public libraries across the Union Territory was ordered. The audit is meant to check for “material that directly or indirectly promotes, glorifies, legitimises or justifies terrorism, violent extremism, secessionism, radicalisation or any activity prejudicial to the sovereignty, unity, integrity and security of the Nation”, and its scope includes journals, research publications, academic theses and dissertations, and digital repositories of academic institutions.

At Jammu University, officials said they have been going through the institute’s entire collection in response. They have not come across a single publication that can be held “objectionable” on the grounds listed, they said.

An official said: “We have a robust and transparent system to procure books from vendors empanelled by us, and as per the terms and conditions of the university.”

A teaching faculty member of the Political Science Department said their section has around 50,000 books. “Sometimes, research scholars demand a particular book, and there is little time to go through its contents before buying it,’’ he said, adding that they normally go through the catalogue containing lists of books provided by publishers and procure the books on the basis of demands raised by students or research scholars. The bills are then sent to the Central Library.

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While Jammu University procured the book published by Paradise Press, it was the reprint by Jammu-based Oberoi Book Service that made its way to government school libraries last year. Oberoi’s Inderpaul Singh was among those arrested Sunday.

Officials at Oberoi Book Service said Paradise Press, which held the rights of the book, allowed it to publish it with the limited purpose of supplying it for the Centrally sponsored Samagra Shiksha scheme. An official said the two firms have had business dealings for the past many decades, and that they publish thousands of books. It was via the Samagra Shiksha scheme that the books got distributed to government school libraries.

The other book the J&K authorities have cracked down on, Sushant Giri’s Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir, is accused of “highly inappropriate content’’ on separatism. Amardeep Singh and Girish Arora of the Noida-based Dominant Publishers were arrested on Sunday in relation to that.

While 123 copies of Personalities and Legends of J&K were supplied to school libraries in Jammu, Ramban and Udhampur districts, 128 copies of Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir were supplied in Jammu and Baramulla districts.

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The J&K government, which set up a high-level enquiry committee headed by an officer of the rank of Additional Chief Secretary into the matter, has suspended eight officials of the School Education Department, and terminated one contractual employee. The authors and publishing houses concerned have been barred from publishing any other material in the Union Territory.

On Monday, the Counter-Intelligence Unit of the J&K Police got 10-day custody of the three publishers. Searches are on to track down the writers of the books as well.

J&K Education Minister Sakina Itoo has described the circulation of the two books in schools as “unfortunate’’ and “a deliberate conspiracy’’, and promised strict action against those involved.

Among the separatists Personalities and Legends of J&K allegedly glorifies are Maqbool Bhat, co-founder of the separatist Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front who was hanged in Tihar Jail on two murder charges, and Hashim Qureshi.