Books seizure: J&K parties question police move, NC’s Ruhullah calls it ‘unacceptable overreach’

J&K police seize books promoting banned organization, sparking political backlash and accusations of state oppression in Kashmir.

The Jammu and Kashmir police move to seize books, allegedly promoting a banned organisation, evoked sharp reactions from political parties on Saturday (February 15, 2025), with National Conference MP Syed Aga Ruhullah Mehdi terming it as “unacceptable overreach”.

“There are reports of police seizing literature by Maulana Maududi (RA). Will the State now dictate what Kashmiris read, learn, and believe? This is an unacceptable overreach. If such an order exists, it must be revoked immediately. The State must stop harassing Kashmiris and meddling in their religious affairs—because the cost of this reckless exercise will be heavy,” Mr. Mehdi said in a post on X.

He also condemned the move to close the Jama Masjid in Srinagar on the occasion of Shab-e-Baraat recently. “Interference in the religious affairs of Kashmiri Muslims is crossing a red line—it is blatant state oppression and intolerance. The Shab-e-Baraat prayers at Jama Masjid were barred and the masjid itself was sealed,” the MP said.

The J&K police seized 668 books on Friday alleging that there had been “clandestine sale and distribution of literature promoting the ideology of a banned organisation”. Official sources said that publishing houses in Srinagar were raided, and works by Islamic scholars popular among the banned Jamaat-e-Islami were seized.

Peoples Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti also questioned the police move. “The elephant in the room vis-a-vis these books raids is that all of the 600 books seized have been authored by Abul Aala Maududi, a renowned Islamic scholar, and more importantly, the founder of the Jamaat-e-Islami, a religious organisation that has done commendable social work in Kashmir and also participated in the recently held State elections,” Ms. Mufti said.

Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq termed the move “absurd”.

“Cracking down on Islamic literature and seizing them from bookstores, while condemnable, is ridiculous. Policing thought by seizing books is absurd to say the least, in the time of access to all information on virtual highways,” the Mirwaiz said.