Over two million books have been scanned in Jammu and Kashmir as part of a large crackdown on books and literature with “objectionable and anti-national content”.
After the seizure police claimed that these books were distributed to promote the ideology of banned Jama’at e Islami. A whopping 21,81,582 books and publications have been scrutinised so far, according to the Higher Education Department of J&K Government.
A crackdown on books and literature was started after police raided bookstores and libraries and seized hundreds of books allegedly promoting “secessionist ideology” early last year. The government says that it has adopted a clear and “objective criteria” for identifying “objectionable material” According to higher education department “the purpose of the exercise is to ensure that higher-education institutions foster an environment based on constitutional values, academic freedom, critical thinking, scientific temper and responsible citizenship,” The crackdown on literature and books started in February 2025 after Jammu and Kashmir Police raided bookstores in Srinagar and seized 668 books.
