Arundhati Roy’s ‘Azadi’ Banned in J&K | 25 Books Face Govt Action

Arundhati Roy’s ‘Azadi’ Banned in J&K: The Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor’s administration has banned 25 books for allegedly propagating “false narrative” and “secessionism” in the Union Territory. The government has also ordered the confiscation of these books.

The government has also ordered the forfeiture of these books.

A notification issued by the Home Department in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday (August 5) signed by principal secretary Chandraker Bharti said such literature “often disguised as historical or political commentary” plays a key role “behind youth participation in violence and terrorism”.

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“This literature would deeply impact the psyche of youth by promoting culture of grievance, victimhood and terrorist heroism. Some of the means by which this literature has contributed to the radicalization of youth in J&K include distortion of historical facts, glorification of terrorists, vilification of security forces, religious radicalization, promotion of alienation, pathway to violence and terrorism,” the notification reads.

“The identified 25 books have been found to excite secessionism and endangering sovereignty and integrity of India, thereby, attracting the provisions of Sections 152, 196 & 197 of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023,” the Home Department said in an order.

The government cited Section 98 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 along with Sections 152, 196 and 197 of the same code to justify the confiscation, saying the content of the books is a threat to the sovereignty and integrity of India.

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The banned titles include academic, political and personal accounts of the Kashmir conflict such as “Human Rights Violations in Kashmir” by Piotr Balcerowicz and Agnieszka Kuszewska, “Colonizing Kashmir” by Hafsa Kanjwal, “Resisting Occupation in Kashmir” by Haley Duschinski and others, “Kashmir in Conflict” by Victoria Schofield, “Do You Remember Kunan Poshpora” by Essar Batool and others, “The Dismantled State” by Anuradha Bhasin, “Resisting Disappearances” by Ather Zia, “The Kashmir Dispute” by AG Noorani, “Independent Kashmir” by Christopher Snedden, “Azadi” by Arundhati Roy.

“Available evidence based on investigations and credible intelligence unflinchingly indicate that a significant driver behind youth participation violence and terrorism has been the systematic dissemination of false narratives and secessionist literature by its persistent internal circulation, often disguised as historical or political commentary, while playing a critical role in misguiding the youth, glorifying terrorism and inciting violence against Indian State,” it read.

This comes at a time when the Supreme Court is to hear on Friday, August 8 an application seeking directions to the central government to restore the statehood of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

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