Book seizures in Indian-administered Kashmir spark fears of religious censorship

On the evening of February 13th, dozens of police officers conducted surprise raids in several neighborhoods of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-administered Kashmir. Unlike previous operations targeting individuals allegedly involved in "anti-India activities," this search specifically targeted bookstores, sparking widespread concern and raising questions about freedom of expression.

A bookseller, speaking anonymously to Middle East Eye, revealed, "Police in uniform and plainclothes raided several bookstores and confiscated books authored by the renowned Islamic scholar Syed Abul Ala Maududi." He added, "They had already visited the bookstores a few days prior, searching for Maududi's books and taking some away. No one in the shops dared to question the authorities' confiscation." That evening, nearly six bookstores in and around Lal Chowk, Srinagar's main commercial hub, were searched, disrupting business and causing unease among shop owners.

The bookseller stated, "They came and went quickly, and I'm not sure exactly which books were confiscated, but I can confirm that the seized books were related to Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and its founder, Maududi." He further pointed out, "This search operation has already caused panic among booksellers," fearing further repercussions and potential losses. Jamaat-e-Islami is an Islamic political and socio-religious organization headquartered in South Asia, founded by Abul Ala Maududi in British India in 1941, later splitting into different branches in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.

Sheikh Showkat, a prominent Kashmiri scholar of human rights and international law, told Middle East Eye that Jamaat-e-Islami split into two factions after the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947. However, he explained that all Jamaat-e-Islami branches follow the same ideology based on Islamic principles. "All factions of Jamaat-e-Islami believe that Islam is a complete way of life, encompassing individual, social, and political aspects. There is no difference in their core beliefs," he said. "However, their political positions vary depending on the country they are in. In India, Jamaat-e-Islami does not support its Kashmir branch because of its political stance."

The Indian Jamaat-e-Islami supports India's official position that Kashmir is an integral part of India. However, the Kashmiri Jamaat-e-Islami believes that Kashmir is a disputed territory that needs to be resolved through a plebiscite in the region. The United Nations considers the territory a disputed territory between India and Pakistan and has passed several resolutions upholding the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people and calling for a resolution of the dispute through a UN-supervised plebiscite. In Indian-administered Kashmir, Jamaat-e-Islami operates under the name "Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir." The organization was banned in the region for five years in 2019, and in February of this year, the ban was extended for another five years.

Political analysts believe that the move to ban Jamaat-e-Islami literature stems from the organization's long-standing advocacy for Kashmir's separation from Indian control over the disputed region. Jamaat-e-Islami has been an outspoken critic of Indian rule since its participation in the 1987 elections. The ban was imposed shortly after the deadly "Pulwama attack" on February 14, 2019, when a car laden with explosives rammed into a convoy, killing at least 40 Indian Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. The attack prompted the Indian government to first launch a trade war against Pakistan and then conduct airstrikes in Balakot, Pakistan, leading to the capture of an Indian pilot by Pakistan. The Indian government accuses Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir of promoting terrorism and spreading anti-India propaganda to encourage separatism. However, Jamaat-e-Islami Kashmir denies these charges, maintaining its commitment to peaceful means.

This book confiscation comes at a time of significant change for Jamaat-e-Islami, with some members creating a separate political party after Jamaat-e-Islami-backed candidates failed to win any seats in last year's Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. Sayar Ahmad Reshi, a Jamaat-e-Islami-backed candidate who participated in the election, called the searches of bookstores baseless. He pointed out that the publishers of Jamaat-e-Islami-related books have obtained International Standard Book Numbers (ISBN) from the Raja Rammohun Roy National Agency. This agency is responsible for allocating ISBNs in India, ensuring that books meet the necessary publishing and copyright standards before distribution, thus adding to the confusion surrounding the ban.

Reshi told Middle East Eye, "If there was a problem with the confiscated books, then the Raja Rammohun Roy National Agency would not have allowed them to be sold nationwide." He added, "This move is limited to Kashmir, and unfortunately, it sends a negative message that Jamaat-e-Islami literature promotes separatism." In a post on X, the police stated, "Based on credible intelligence regarding the secret sale and distribution of literature promoting the ideology of a banned organization, Srinagar police conducted a search operation, resulting in the seizure of 668 books." However, they did not provide any specific reasons for the confiscation. Middle East Eye contacted the Inspector General of Police of Kashmir for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication, leaving many questions unanswered.

Muzamil Magbool, a Kashmiri political analyst and podcast host, told Middle East Eye that the reasons for the police action are unclear. He pointed out that several members of Jamaat-e-Islami recently decided to form a political party within the framework of the Indian constitution. "An online protest has erupted on social media, with people sharing online links to these books and encouraging others to keep copies of the literature," Magbool said. "I believe that the reading and promotion of Jamaat-e-Islami literature in Jammu and Kashmir will decrease," suggesting a potential chilling effect on intellectual discourse.

The search could have a ripple effect, spreading panic among booksellers in India, leading to self-censorship to avoid confiscation and the resulting economic losses. Muntazir Shah, a bookseller in Kashmir who also sells Islamic literature, believes that the literature of Jamaat-e-Islami and its founder is being deliberately targeted because it provides a clear understanding of Islam that can serve as a unifying force between Kashmiri and Indian Muslims. "Maududi explains through his literature how a Muslim should live and what he needs to do to achieve success. He removes doubts in such a way that anyone who carefully reads his work will experience a positive transformation in their life," Shah said. "The reason you have seen Jamaat-e-Islami leaders imprisoned in recent years is that they do not succumb to any pressure and continue to preach Islam," he added, highlighting the potential for resistance despite the crackdown.

The confiscation of books can be seen as part of a larger effort to reshape the political landscape of Kashmir since the Narendra Modi government revoked Articles 370A and 35A, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its semi-autonomous status. In August 2019, the Indian government imposed a communications blockade and arrested thousands of Kashmiris as the region's status changed overnight. On February 23, three women in the Rajbagh neighborhood of Srinagar were detained by local police while distributing the Quran and headscarves for free as part of a community initiative. They were later released after an investigation and questioning about the program. The specific reasons for their detention remain unclear. The detention of the women and the search of Jamaat-e-Islami have sparked a debate about the boundaries of religious expression and freedom in Jammu and Kashmir. Both pro-India and pro-freedom political leaders have condemned these incidents, calling for greater respect for civil liberties.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a pro-freedom Kashmiri leader and chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, asked, "What kind of democracy is this, where Islamic literature is being banned? Will the government decide what kind of literature an individual should read?" Farooq said, "We condemn the ban on literature. I wonder why Islamic literature is being banned in Kashmir. I believe that the more you try to suppress or restrict it, the more people will start reading or following it," he added, stating that the ban is not beneficial to anyone because "now every kind of literature is available online," emphasizing the futility of such measures in the digital age.