Jammu and Kashmir Police have confiscated over 650 books linked to the banned Jamaat-e-Islami, triggering strong reactions from political leaders and the community.
Srinagar: In a controversial move, the Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted searches at multiple bookshops in Srinagar, seizing 668 books allegedly promoting the ideology of the proscribed Jamaat-e-Islami. Officials cited “credible intelligence” as the basis for the operation, stating that legal action has been initiated under Section 126 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
“Based on intelligence inputs regarding the clandestine sale and distribution of banned literature, police conducted searches in Srinagar, resulting in the seizure of 668 books. Legal proceedings have been initiated,” the Srinagar district police said in a post on X.
Section 126 of BNSS empowers an executive magistrate to require an individual to show cause for not executing a bond to maintain peace for a period not exceeding one year.
The police action has drawn sharp criticism, particularly from Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, who condemned it as “unacceptable overreach” and an infringement on the religious freedoms of Kashmiri Muslims.
“Interference in the religious affairs of Kashmiri Muslims is crossing a red line—it is blatant state oppression and intolerance. First, the Shab-e-Barat prayers at Jama Masjid were barred, and the masjid itself was sealed. Now, we see reports of police seizing literature by Maulana Maududi (RA),” Mehdi posted on X.
He further questioned whether the government intended to dictate what Kashmiris could read, learn, and believe, demanding an immediate revocation of the order. Mehdi warned that such actions would have serious consequences, urging authorities to stop harassing the people of Kashmir.
The incident has reignited debates over freedom of expression and religious rights in the region, with many seeing it as part of a broader crackdown on Islamic institutions and literature in Jammu and Kashmir.
