Police in Indian-administered Kashmir conducted sweeping raids on bookstores this week, seizing 668 publications tied to Jamaat-e-Islami, a banned organization central to regional tensions. Officials claim the Friday operation in Srinagar targeted "e;clandestine distribution of unlawful literature,"e; heightening concerns about press freedom in the disputed territory.
The seized books originated from New Delhi’s Markazi Maktaba Islami Publishers, affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami Hind – a group outlawed in Kashmir since 2019. "e;This crackdown supports our vision for Naya Kashmir,"e; a police spokesperson stated, referencing India’s disputed nation-building initiative following revoked regional autonomy.
Policing thought by seizing books is absurd. We’re in an era of digital information highways
Key works by Abul Ala Maududi – founder of Jamaat-e-Islami’s ideology merging faith and governance – formed the bulk of confiscated material. Authorities defended the operation as necessary to counter banned narratives, while local leaders highlighted constitutional contradictions:
- Books legally published in New Delhi face regional seizure
- 2019 security laws prioritize state control over intellectual freedoms
- Critics cite deepening censorship amidst counterinsurgency measures
As India-Pakistan tensions persist over Kashmir’s status, the raids underscore New Delhi’s tightening grip. "e;This isn’t national security – it’s thought policing,"e; declared resistance figure Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Local booksellers report inventory purges extend beyond Srinagar, with police conducting surprise checks territory-wide.
Jamaat-e-Islami’s historical support for anti-India militancy complicates the discourse. Despite disavowing armed rebellion since the 1990s, authorities maintain strict prohibitions against the group’s materials. The conflict’s human toll – tens of thousands killed since 1989 – looms over current civil liberties debates.
With global attention split between Kashmir’s geopolitical stalemate and internal rights issues, this literary purge signals hardening ideological lines. As digital access reshapes dissent, New Delhi’s analog-era book seizures face mounting criticism as both ineffective and draconian.
