J&K govt withdraws controversial book from libraries, orders probe
Srinagar, July 4
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday ordered immediate withdrawal of the controversial book glorifying separatists and terrorists from school libraries in addition to ordering a probe against those responsible for approval of the book.
Commissioner/Secretary J&K School Education Department, Ram Niwas Sharma confirmed to reporters that the publication has been withdrawn from all schools with immediate effect.
"The book has been withdrawn. Action is being taken against all concerned. All copies of the publication have been recalled from schools and proceedings have been initiated against those involved in its publication, approval, procurement and distribution".
The senior official added that the controversial book, titled "Great Personalities and Legends", was supplied to schools in June 2026 and was withdrawn on July 3, 2026.
The controversy surfaced after the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples' Forum (JKPF) alleged that a book supplied to government school libraries under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme glorified separatist leaders and terrorists by portraying them as "great personalities" and "legends" of Jammu and Kashmir.
The issue gained further momentum after Leader of Opposition (LOP) in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Sunil Sharma, raised the matter at a press conference earlier in the day, alleging that the publication promoted an anti-national narrative and demanding its immediate withdrawal, a high-level probe, and action against those responsible and sacking of Education Minister.
The government's decision comes amid widespread criticism over the inclusion of the book in school libraries, with opposition parties and several organisations alleging that it contained objectionable and anti-national content.
It must be mentioned that unde the unlawful activities (Pevention) Act (UAPA) distributing literature on behalf of a terrorist organization declared as an "unlawful association" under the UAPA can lead to severe criminal charges.
While the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act punishes actions that threaten the sovereignty and integrity of India, the judiciary has set precedents protecting free speech by requiring proof of actionable intent behind the literature rather than just holding it.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I agree that anti-national content should be removed, but I hope we don't use this as an excuse to suppress all dissenting voices. There's a fine line between glorifying violence and acknowledging historical realities. Need proper checks and balances.
Bahut accha decision hai! The fact that this book was approved in first place shows how careless some officials are. We must investigate who approved it and what their intentions were. The Education Minister should take responsibility too!
As a foreign national who works in education, I find this concerning. Schools should focus on balanced perspectives, not propaganda on either side. That said, glorifying violence is clearly wrong. This should be a lesson for better curriculum oversight.
I'm from J&K and let me tell you, our children need education, not brainwashing. These separatists have caused so much pain to innocent people. The withdrawal is welcome, but we need to ensure such things never happen again. Also, strict action against the publishers!
Interesting how quickly the government acts when it comes to books but other issues remain unresolved. That said, this seems appropriate. School libraries shouldn't be a platform for political narratives. Hope they replace it with something educational and neutral.
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