Indian Police Seize Hundreds of Books in Kashmir Over Alleged Links to Banned Group

Authorities claim the seized literature promotes the ideology of Jamaat-e-Islami, a banned organization, sparking widespread criticism from local leaders and residents.

• Police in Indian-administered Kashmir raided bookstores and seized 668 books, most authored by Islamic scholar Abul Ala Maududi, founder of Jamaat-e-Islami.
• Authorities allege the books were linked to the ideology of Jamaat-e-Islami, which was banned in 2019 for alleged threats to national security and sovereignty.
• The raids began in Srinagar and extended to other parts of the region, with police citing 'credible intelligence' about the sale and distribution of banned literature.
• Local leaders and residents criticized the crackdown, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of fundamental rights, and noted that the books are legally published and widely available online.
• The actions are seen as part of broader efforts by India's government to suppress dissent in Kashmir, following the 2019 revocation of the region's partial autonomy.

4 Articles

The Guardian Al Jazeera