As criticism over banning of books in Jammu and Kashmir intensified, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday distanced himself from the controversy and squarely blamed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for the move, asserting “I have never banned books, and I never would”.
Several other politicians and individuals have also slammed the administration for banning 25 books authored by prominent writers.
In a post on X, Omar stated that “the ban has been imposed by the Lt. Governor using the only department he officially controls—the Home Department”.
Omar was responding to a netizen who had tagged the chief minister on the X urging him to revoke the ban.
Apparently annoyed over the language used by the netizen while blaming Omar Abdullah for the ban, Omar wrote back “Get your facts right before you call me a coward you ignoramus”.
Omar also attached a copy of the 5 August ban imposed by the Home Department that at the end clearly stated that the notification had been issued “By order of the Lieutenant Governor”.
Several other politicians and individuals, including PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, CPI(M) MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami and Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, have also slammed the government for banning 25 books, mostly on terrorism in Kashmir, authored by prominent writers.
Reacting to the ban, Mufti said, “Democracy thrives on the free exchange of ideas. Banning books cannot erase history, it only fuels division. In Kashmir, suppressing democratic voices and fundamental freedoms deepens alienation and mistrust”.
“Censorship doesn’t silence ideas, it amplifies their resonance”, she wrote on social media.
Tarigami described the ban as “a blatant act of censorship and an attack on free speech”.
Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said “banning books by scholars and reputed historians will not erase historical facts and the repertoire of lived memories of people of Kashmir”.
“It only exposes the insecurities and limited understanding of those behind such authoritarian actions, and the contradiction in proudly hosting the ongoing Book Festival to showcase its literary commitment,” he added.