📚🚨 J&K Police Raid Srinagar Bookstores, Seize Jamaat-e-Islami Literature!
- MediaFx
- Feb 15
- 2 min read
TL;DR: Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted raids in Srinagar, confiscating 668 books linked to the banned Jamaat-e-Islami organization. This action has sparked debates over #FreedomToRead and alleged state overreach.
In a bold move, Jammu and Kashmir Police swooped down on several bookstores in Srinagar, seizing a whopping 668 books associated with the outlawed Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) group. The cops claim these books push the group's ideology, which has been a no-go since JeI got the boot back in 2019.
The police didn't mince words, stating they had "credible intel" about the sneaky sale and spread of literature promoting the banned outfit's views. They've kicked off legal proceedings under Section 126 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. This law lets a magistrate demand someone explain why they shouldn't be made to promise to keep the peace for up to a year.
One Lal Chowk bookstore owner spilled the beans, saying cops rolled in around 3:30 PM on Thursday. "They asked about the types of books we had, saying there was a ban on some books. Later they seized some books of Maududi and Islahi," the store owner said, wishing anonymity.
For those not in the know, Abul A'la Maududi was a Pakistani Islamic scholar who founded Jamaat-e-Islami. Amin Ahsan Islahi, another Pakistani scholar, was a founding member of the Jamaat.
The crackdown didn't sit well with everyone. Iltija Mufti of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) slammed the move, calling it an assault on the "freedom to read." She pointed out that all 600-plus seized books were penned by Maududi, a renowned Islamic scholar and JeI's founder. She highlighted JeI's commendable social work, especially in education and healthcare, and questioned the necessity of such raids.
National Conference (NC) leader and Srinagar MP, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, didn't hold back either. He labeled the raids as "unacceptable overreach," questioning if the state now dictates what Kashmiris can read and believe. He demanded any such orders be revoked immediately.
JeI's been in hot water before. The group first faced a ban during Indira Gandhi's emergency era in 1975 and again in the early '90s when insurgency flared up in Kashmir. The latest ban came in 2019, shortly after the Pulwama attack, with the government accusing JeI of fueling terrorism and pushing anti-India propaganda.
MediaFx Opinion: This heavy-handed approach by the authorities reeks of state overreach and suppression of intellectual freedom. Targeting literature, especially works by established scholars, sets a dangerous precedent. It's a slippery slope from seizing books to stifling thought. Such actions not only undermine democratic values but also alienate communities, breeding resentment. A truly progressive society should champion open dialogue and diverse viewpoints, not muzzle them.
