Action taken under Section 98 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
Order directs confiscation of all copies across J&K
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has banned 25 books, declaring them forfeited under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, alleging that the publications promote secessionism, glorify terrorism, distort historical facts and incite activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India.
The Home Department issued S.O. 203 of 2025, invoking powers under Section 98 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, directing that all copies of the listed publications wherever found in the Union Territory shall stand forfeited to the Government.
The notification states that intelligence inputs and investigations found the books were being used to propagate “false narratives”, encourage alienation, glorify terrorists, radicalise youth and create support for unlawful and violent activities. It said the contents attract provisions relating to offences against the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India under the BNS.
Among the publications declared forfeited are “Kashmir in Conflict” by Victoria Schofield, “Kashmir: The Case for Freedom” by Tariq Ali, Hilal Bhatt, Pankaj Mishra, Arundhati Roy and others, “The Kashmir Dispute: 1947-2012” by A.G. Noorani, “Kashmir at the Crossroads” and “Contested Lands” by Sumantra Bose, “Colonizing Kashmir: State-Building Under Indian Occupation” by Hafsa Kanjwal, “Resisting Disappearance” by Ather Zia, “Resisting Occupation in Kashmir” edited by Haley Duschinski, Ather Zia and others, “Independent Kashmir” by Christopher Snedden, “Do You Remember Kunan Poshpora?” by Essar Batool and others, and “Kashmir Politics and Plebiscite” by Dr. Abdul Jabbar Gockhami, besides several other titles.
Other books on the list include “Jihad fi Islam” by Abul A’la Maududi, “Mujahid Ki Azaan” by Imam Hasan Al-Banna, “Between Democracy and Nation” by Seema Kazi, “In Search of a Future” by David Devadas, “A Dismantled State” by Anuradha Bhasin, “Confronting Terrorism” edited by Maroof Raza, “Freedom in Captivity” by Radhika Gupta, “Azadi” by Arundhati Roy, “USA and Kashmir” by Dr. Shamshad Shan, “Tarikh-i-Siyasat Kashmir” by Dr. Afaq, and “Kashmir and the Future of South Asia” edited by Sugata Bose and Ayesha Jalal.
The latest action comes amid the administration’s wider crackdown on material and activities it considers supportive of terrorism and separatism. In recent years, authorities have banned several organisations, attached properties under anti-terror and anti-drug laws, and intensified action against online and offline content allegedly aimed at radicalisation.
The government said the ban is intended to prevent the circulation of literature that could disturb public order, fuel extremism and threaten national security, adding that the order takes immediate effect.
Earlier on Tuesday, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha directed the administration to ensure robust oversight over procurement, distribution and availability of any publications containing anti-national, separatist or objectionable content in the educational institutes and libraries in the Union Territory.
The LG chaired a high-level meeting with senior officers and reviewed the action taken regarding the circulation of books and literature containing anti-national and separatist content in educational institutions.
