Book seizures in Indian-administered Kashmir spark fears of religious censorship

On the evening of 13 February, dozens of police carried out raids across several neighbourhoods in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-administered Kashmir. 

Unlike previous operations that focus on arresting individuals accused of "anti-India activities", these raids targeted bookstores.

“Policemen, both in uniform and plain clothes, raided multiple bookstores and seized books written by the well-known Islamic scholar Syed Abul A'la Maududi,” a bookseller who requested anonymity, told Middle East Eye. 

“A few days earlier, they had already visited the store, searched for Maududi’s books, and taken some with them. None of us in the shop dared to question the authorities about the seizures,” he added.

Nearly half a dozen bookstores in and around Lal Chowk, Srinagar’s main commercial area, had been raided that night.

“They came suddenly and left quietly. I am unsure of the exact titles that were confiscated, but I can confirm that the seized books were linked to Jamaat-e-Islami [JI] and its founder, Maududi,” the bookseller said. 

“The raids have spread fear among booksellers,” he added.

Religion and politics

JI is an Islamic political and socio-religious organisation based in South Asia. It was founded in 1941 by Abul A'la Maududi in British India and has since split into different branches in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.

Sheikh Showkat, a prominent scholar of human rights and international law in Kashmir, told MEE that JI was divided into two factions after India and Pakistan gained independence in 1947. However, he explained that all JI branches follow the same ideology based on Islamic principles.

‘What kind of democracy is this where Islamic literature is being banned?’

- Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, political leader

“All factions of JI believe Islam is a complete way of life that covers personal, social, and political aspects. There is no difference in their core beliefs,” he said. “However, their political positions differ based on the countries they operate in. In India, JI does not support its Kashmir division because of its political stance,” he added.

JI India supports India's official position that Kashmir is an integral part of India. However, JI Kashmir believes that Kashmir is a disputed territory and needs to be resolved by holding a referendum in the region. 

The United Nations views the territory as disputed between India and Pakistan, with several resolutions maintaining the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination and calling for a resolution to the dispute through a UN-monitored plebiscite.

In Indian-administered Kashmir, JI operates as "JI Kashmir". The organisation was banned in the region in 2019 for five years - a ban which was extended this February for another five years. 

Political analysts argue that the move to ban JI literature is rooted in the group’s longstanding advocacy for Kashmir’s separation from Indian control over the disputed region. JI has been a vocal opponent of Indian rule following its participation in the 1987 elections.

The ban was imposed shortly after the deadly "Pulwama attack" on 14 February 2019, when a car packed with explosives rammed into a convoy killing at least 40 Indian Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. 

The attack prompted the Indian government to first initiate a trade war against Pakistan and then launch an air strike in Balakot, Pakistan, which resulted in Pakistan capturing an Indian pilot. 

The Indian government accuses JI Kashmir of promoting terrorism and spreading anti-India propaganda to encourage separatism. However, JI Kashmir denies these allegations.

The book seizures come at a time when JI has undergone a major shift, with several members creating a separate party, as the JI-backed candidates that participated in the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir last year failed to win any seats.

Sayaar Ahmad Reshi, a JI-backed candidate who participated in the election, called the raids on bookstores unfounded. He noted that publishers of JI-related books had received International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs) from the Raja Rammohun Roy National Agency. 

The agency, responsible for assigning ISBNs in India, ensures that books meet the necessary publishing and copyright standards before being distributed.

“If there was an issue with the books that were seized, then the Raja Rammohun Roy National Agency would not have allowed their sale across the country,” Reshi told MEE. 

“This move has been restricted to Kashmir alone, which unfortunately sends a negative message that Jamaat-e-Islami literature promotes secessionism,” he added.

The police, in a post on X, said, “Based on credible intelligence regarding the clandestine sale and distribution of literature promoting the ideology of a banned organisation, the Srinagar Police conducted a search operation, leading to the seizure of 668 books.” 

However, they did not provide any specific reasons for the seizures. MEE contacted the Kashmir Police chief for comments, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

Knock-on effect

Muzamil Maqbool, a Kashmiri political analyst and podcaster, told MEE that the reason behind the police action remains unclear. He noted that multiple members of JI recently decided to form a political party within the framework of the Indian Constitution.

“There was an online uproar on social media, where people were sharing online links to these books and encouraging others to keep copies of the literature with them,” Maqbool said. “I believe there will be a decline in the reading and promotion of JI literature across Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

The raids could have a knock-on effect of spreading fear among booksellers in India, leading to self-censorship to avoid seizures and the financial losses that accompany them.

Muntazir Shah, a bookseller in Kashmir who also sells Islamic literature, believes that JI and its founder’s literature are being deliberately targeted because it provides a clear understanding of Islam that works as a uniting force among Muslims in Kashmir and India. 

“Maududi, through his literature, explains how a Muslim should live his life and what he needs to do to become successful. He clears doubts in such a way that anyone who reads his works carefully undergoes a positive transformation in life,” Shah said. 

“In recent years, the reason you see JI leaders being imprisoned is that they do not bow to any kind of pressure and continue to promote Islam,” he added.

The seizure of books can be seen as part of a larger attempt to reshape the political environment in Kashmir since Narendra Modi’s government revoked Article 370A and Article 35A, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status.

In August 2019, the Indian government imposed a communication blockade and arrested thousands of Kashmiris as the region’s status changed overnight.

On 23 February, three women in the Rajbagh neighbourhood of Srinagar were detained by local police while distributing copies of the Quran and hijabs for free as part of a community initiative. They were later released after an inquiry and questioning related to the programme. The specific reasons behind their detention remain unclear.

The detention of the women and the raid on JI triggered a debate over the limits of religious expression and freedom in Jammu and Kashmir. Both pro-India and pro-freedom political leaders condemned the incidents.

“What kind of democracy is this where Islamic literature is being banned? Will the government decide what kind of literature an individual should read?” Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a pro-freedom leader and the chairperson of the Hurriyat Conference, an amalgam of pro-freedom political parties in Kashmir, asked. 

“We condemn the ban on literature. I wonder why Islamic literature is being banned in Kashmir. I believe the more you try to suppress or restrict it, the more people will start reading or following it,” Farooq said, adding the ban won’t benefit anyone, as “every kind of literature nowadays is available online”.