Police in Kashmir have raided dozens of bookstores and seized more than 650 books as part of crackdowns on dissent in the Indian-administered region.
Most of the titles were written by Abul A’la Maududi, a prominent 20th-century Islamic scholar who founded Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamic organisation banned in Kashmir.
Raids began last Friday in Srinagar, Kashmir’s main city, before moving to other parts of the disputed region. In a statement, Srinagar police said that the raids were “based on credible intelligence regarding the clandestine sale and distribution of literature promoting the ideology of a banned organisation”, and that 668 books were seized in all.
The books were mostly published by Markazi Maktaba Islami Publishers, based in New Delhi, which is affiliated with the Indian branch of Jamaat-e-Islami, one of the largest religious and political organisations in the Indian subcontinent.
“These books were found to be in violation of legal regulations, and strict action is being taken against those found in possession of such material,” police said.
In February 2019, Indian authorities banned Jamaat-e-Islami, declaring it an “unlawful association”, for five years. In August that year, Narendra Modi’s government scrapped the region’s partial autonomy. The repression of human rights in the region has since escalated.
Jamaat-e-Islami leaders said that the seizure of books “is unjust, unconstitutional, and a violation of fundamental rights”, adding that the books are “legally published” in Delhi. “If the government has any security concerns, we are fully prepared to cooperate with any investigation.”
“The current approach appears arbitrary and unfair, as it does not even fall within the scope of a legitimate investigation”, they added. “Instead, it reflects an attempt to marginalise us.”
The Kashmir conflict began after India gained independence from Britain in 1947, and both India and Pakistan claimed the region. For decades, insurgent groups have fought Indian rule, and tens of thousands have been killed in the conflict.
When armed rebellion broke out in 1989, Kashmir’s largest militant group, Hizbul Mujahideen, declared it was Jamaat-e-Islami’s military wing. However, in a petition against the 2019 ban, Jamaat-e-Islam claimed it had “never supported violence” and “never been associated with the Hizbul Mujahideen”. In February last year, the ban on the organisation was extended for a further five years.
Umar Farooq, Kashmir’s chief cleric, said in a statement that “cracking down on Islamic literature” is “condemnable” and “ridiculous”.
“Policing thought by seizing books is absurd to say the least, in the time of access to all information on virtual highways”.
