J&K recalls books glorifying separatists as legends; 8 officials suspended

A controversial book glorifying separatist leader and convicted terrorists as ‘great personalities’ and ‘legends’ has been immediately recalled by the Jammu and Kashmir Government from all Government school libraries following massive backlash.

So far, eight officials of the School Education Department (SED) have been suspended over the approval and procurement of a controversial library book. The suspension orders were issued on the directions of the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha. A high-level probe has been initiated into the matter.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Sunil Sharma, also launched a scathing attack against the Omar Abdullah-led Government for promoting “academic jihad” by allowing a controversial book in Government school libraries.

The BJP leader alleged that the publication promotes the narrative of separatist leaders such as Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Masrat Alam, Shabir Shah and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and described it as an attempt to spread hatred against India and its armed forces.

Sharma also demanded an immediate ban on the publication, a judicial probe into the matter, and the dismissal of the Education Minister.

The controversy surfaced after the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples’ Forum (JKPF) alleged that a book supplied to Government school libraries under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme glorified separatist leaders and terrorists by portraying them as “great personalities” and “legends” of Jammu and Kashmir.

Initially, the School Education Department (SED) withdrew the two books following widespread backlash from the BJP and other quarters over the inclusion of the books in Government school libraries under the Samagra Shiksha programme. As per the Government Order number 257-JK(Edu) of 2026, the Government observed that there was “serious negligence, dereliction of duty and lack of proper due diligence” on the part of members of the Series-4 Sub-Committee and supervisory officers who recommended the books despite their “highly inappropriate content” related to separatism, “which had the potential to create law and order issues.”

The SED order reads that Samagra Shiksha had received a library grant for the procurement of age-appropriate books for 18,328 Government schools and 394 PM SHRI schools, following which an Expression of Interest (EOI) was floated.

“Four expert sub-committees comprising academicians from Jammu and Kashmir divisions were constituted to evaluate and recommend books for different school levels,” it reads.

It reads that the committees selected 463 books submitted by 364 publishers.

“However, two books were found to contain objectionable material and were withdrawn by the department on July 3,” the order reads.

The books are titled “Personalities and Legends of J&K,” authored by Hilal Ahmad and Santosh Meena and published by Oberoi Book Service, Jammu, and “Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir”, authored by Dr Sushant Giri and published by Anurag Prakashan, Delhi.

As per the order, 123 copies of the first book were supplied to schools in Jammu, Ramban and Udhampur districts, while 128 copies of the second book were distributed in Jammu and Baramulla districts before they were withdrawn.

In the wake of this, the Government placed eight officials under suspension with immediate effect under Rule 31(1)(a) of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956.

The officials suspended include Coordinator Library, Samagra Shiksha Fazil Imran Saddiqui, Assistant Coordinator Gurjeet Singh, Principal Sanjeev Sharma, Academic Officer Shazia Kouser, Lecturers Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir, Niranjan Sharma, Renu Mengi and Rajmohini.

“During the suspension period, all of them will remain attached to the Administrative Department of the School Education Department,” the order reads.

The Government also ordered the immediate disengagement of Sheikh Suheel Ahmad, a contractual Computer Assistant assisting the Coordinator Library in Samagra Shiksha.

Also, the Government appointed Additional Chief Secretary, Power Development Department, Ashwani Kumar, as the inquiry officer, while the Additional Secretary in the General Administration Department, Rohit Sharma, has been appointed as the Presenting Officer.

The inquiry officer has been directed to submit his report to the competent authority within 30 days.

As per the order, the Government also ordered that the authors and publishers of the two books be banned and blacklisted in J&K UT.

“Any printed material authored or published by them should be withdrawn from the UT,” the order reads.

Earlier, addressing a press conference in Jammu, LoP Sunil Sharma alleged that the book titled “Personalities and Legends of J&K” contains no educational or historical value but instead glorifies terrorists, separatists, stone-pelters and anti-national elements while portraying security forces and those who fought terrorism in a negative light.

He claimed that the book, authored by Hilal Ahmad and Santosh Meena and published by Paradise Press, was not a genuine historical account but an attempt to legitimise terrorism, separatism and anti-national ideology.

Sharma alleged that the use of expressions such as “Indian Occupied Kashmir” and the presentation of separatist narratives amounted to a direct challenge to India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said such content sought to distort history, undermine national institutions and mislead young readers.

Former Director General of J&K Police SP Vaid also reacted sharply.  He said, “It is a matter of shame for me that my name is being linked with Masarat Alam and Maqbool Bhat, given that Masarat Alam was a detainee in my custody when I served as Director General of Prisons. The truly shameful thing is that the Jammu & Kashmir Government has approved a book for inclusion in all libraries and Government schools that hails Maqbool Bhat as a martyr.