In a move that has drawn widespread condemnation, authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir have banned 25 books, threatening prison time for anyone found selling or owning the works. The government’s decision, issued on Tuesday, August 6, 2025, has sparked a heated debate about censorship and freedom of expression in the region.
The ban, ordered by the Jammu and Kashmir Home Department under the new Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita of 2023, declared the books “forfeit,” making them illegal to circulate or possess. Officials stated that the literature “propagates false narratives,” “vilifies security forces,” and plays a “critical role in misguiding the youth.” Following the order, police began conducting raids on bookstores across the Kashmir Valley on Thursday, August 8, 2025, to seize the prohibited books.
The list of banned titles includes works by prominent and internationally recognized authors and academics, such as Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy, constitutional expert A.G. Noorani, and historians Christopher Snedden and Victoria Schofield.
The action has been met with fierce criticism from authors, academics, and human rights advocates. In a statement, the global advocacy group Voices For Freedom (VFF) condemned the ban as a “direct assault on intellectual freedom” and a dangerous attempt to “control a narrative.” Other authors on the list have also spoken out, with one calling the ban a “warning against free speech and dissent.”
Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, publicly distanced himself from the order, stating on social media that the ban was imposed by the Lieutenant Governor’s Home Department, which operates separately from the state administration.
