ISLAMABAD (PEN) : Indian police in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) have sparked outrage after raiding multiple bookshops and seizing hundreds of copies of books by a prominent Islamic scholar, generating strong reactions from Muslim leaders.
The police claimed the raids were carried out based on “credible intelligence” about the illegal sale and distribution of literature promoting the ideology of a banned organization. While authorities did not identify the specific author, shopkeepers revealed that the books seized were written by the late Abul Ala Maududi, the founder of the political party Jamaat-e-Islami.
In 2019, the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist administration, declared the IIOJK branch of Jamaat-e-Islami an “unlawful association.” The ban was extended in 2024 for activities deemed harmful to India’s security and integrity.
The raids, which began in Srinagar on Saturday, later expanded to other towns in the region. Bookstore owners described how officers confiscated copies of Maududi’s works, claiming the literature was banned.
One bookstore owner shared with AFP, “They came and took all the copies of books authored by Abul Ala Maududi, saying these books were banned.” Police asserted that these books violated legal regulations, and those found in possession of such materials would face strict action.
Many Jamaat-e-Islami supporters voiced their anger over the raids. Shamim Ahmed Thokar, a supporter, argued that the books promote values such as good morals and responsible citizenship.
Umar Farooq, the chief cleric of IIOJK and a leading advocate for the region’s self-determination, strongly condemned the police’s actions. “Cracking down on Islamic literature and seizing books from stores is ridiculous,” he said, adding that the books were easily accessible online. “Policing thought by seizing books is absurd, especially in an age where information is freely available on the internet.”
The raids have further fueled concerns among critics and residents of IIOJK who feel their civil liberties were severely restricted after Modi’s government imposed direct rule in 2019, effectively revoking the region’s constitutional autonomy.
