Arundhati Roy to Noorani, J&K Home Dept bans publication of 25 books on Kashmir: ‘Propagating secessionism’
📰 IN NEWS – J&K Government Bans 25 Books Allegedly Propagating Secessionism🕒 Updated: August 7, 2025 | 🗞 Source: The Indian Express
✅ Why in News?
The Jammu & Kashmir Home Department has banned 25 books under allegations that they promote secessionism, terror glorification, and anti-state narratives—including works by Arundhati Roy and A.G. Noorani.
✅ What the Government Says
- The books allegedly:
- Spread false narratives
- Glorify terrorism
- Vilify security forces
- Radicalize youth
- Action taken under:
- Sections 152, 196, 197 of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023
- Section 98 of Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023
✅ Key Banned Authors & Books
Some of the most prominent names include:
📌 1. A. G. Noorani
- Banned Book: The Kashmir Dispute: 1947–2012
- About: A constitutional expert and political commentator, Noorani’s book critically examines India’s policy in Kashmir over decades.
- Government Allegation: The book allegedly undermines India’s sovereignty by questioning the legal basis of Kashmir’s accession and supports separatist perspectives.
📌 2. Arundhati Roy
- Banned Books:
- Azadi: Freedom. Fascism. Fiction.
- Kashmir: The Case for Freedom (co-authored with Pankaj Mishra & others)
- About: Arundhati Roy, Booker Prize winner, is known for her sharp critique of Indian state policy, especially in Kashmir.
- Government Allegation: Her books are said to glorify secessionist ideologies, promote anti-national sentiments, and create hostility against the state machinery.
✅ Other Authors Included in the Ban
| Author | Book |
|---|---|
| Sumantra Bose | Kashmir at the Crossroads, Contested Lands |
| Anuradha Bhasin | A Dismantled State: The Untold Story after Article 370 |
| Hafsa Kanjwal | Colonizing Kashmir |
| Victoria Schofield | Kashmir in Conflict |
| Ather Zia | Resisting Disappearance |
| Essar Batool | Do You Remember Kunan Poshpora? |
| Seema Kazi | Between Democracy & Nation |
| Christopher Snedden | Independent Kashmir |
✅ Legal Action & Implications
- Orders include public forfeiture of all existing copies.
- Cited threat to public peace, security, and national integrity.
- Highlights the government's intent to counter intellectual radicalization through literature.
✅ Debates & Concerns
- Freedom of Expression vs National Security
- Academic Freedom in conflict narratives
- Selective censorship? Targeting international & critical Indian voices
- Impact on India’s global image in democratic rights and human liberties