Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police have allegedly seized literature affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), a religious-political organisation, which has been banned in Jammu and Kashmir for the last six years. Police teams arrived at several bookshops in the city centre and seized over 650 books, officials said.
The banned literature is affiliated with Jamaat ideologue and founder Maulana Maududi. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has slapped a ban on Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir since 2019 with accusations ranging from activities deemed prejudicial to national security and territorial integrity to supporting militant outfits. The banned organisation known for supporting Pakistan attempted to jump into the electoral fray to "clear" itself of the allegations during the J&K Legislative Assembly polls but drew a blank.
A police spokesperson in Srinagar said that they searched Srinagar, leading to the seizure of books. Without naming the author or the banned organisation, the official statement said that they received “credible intelligence” on the “clandestine” sale and distribution of literature promoting the ideology of a banned organisation.
“Police searched Srinagar, leading to the seizure of 668 books. Legal action has been initiated under Section 126 of the BNSS,” it said.
But Member of Parliament leader Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi described the move as “unacceptable overreach,” demanding the order must be revoked immediately.
“Interference in the religious affairs of Kashmiri Muslims is crossing a red line—it is blatant state oppression and intolerance,” he said. “First, the Shab-e-Barat prayers at Jama Masjid were barred, and the masjid itself was sealed. If that wasn’t enough, 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," said the senior National Conference leader.
The state, according to him, must stop harassing Kashmiris and meddling in their religious affairs, warning, “The cost of this reckless exercise will be heavy.”
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