Police in Kashmir have raided dozens of bookstores and seized greater than 650 books as a part of crackdowns on dissent within the Indian-administered area.
A lot of the titles have been written by Abul A’la Maududi, a outstanding Twentieth-century Islamic scholar who based Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamic organisation banned in Kashmir.
Raids started final Friday in Srinagar, Kashmir’s fundamental metropolis, earlier than shifting to different components of the disputed area. In a assertion, Srinagar police stated that the raids have been “primarily based on credible intelligence relating to the clandestine sale and distribution of literature selling the ideology of a banned organisation”, and that 668 books have been seized in all.
The books have been principally printed by Markazi Maktaba Islami Publishers, primarily based in New Delhi, which is affiliated with the Indian department of Jamaat-e-Islami, one of many largest spiritual and political organisations within the Indian subcontinent.
“These books have been discovered to be in violation of authorized rules, and strict motion is being taken towards these present in possession of such materials,” police stated.
In February 2019, Indian authorities banned Jamaat-e-Islami, declaring it an “illegal affiliation”, for 5 years. In August that yr, Narendra Modi’s authorities scrapped the area’s partial autonomy. The repression of human rights within the area has since escalated.
Jamaat-e-Islami leaders stated that the seizure of books “is unjust, unconstitutional, and a violation of basic rights”, including that the books are “legally printed” in Delhi. “If the federal government has any safety issues, we’re totally ready to cooperate with any investigation.”
“The present method seems arbitrary and unfair, because it doesn’t even fall inside the scope of a professional investigation”, they added. “As an alternative, it displays an try to marginalise us.”
The Kashmir battle started after India gained independence from Britain in 1947, and each India and Pakistan claimed the area. For many years, rebel teams have fought Indian rule, and tens of hundreds have been killed within the battle.
When armed revolt broke out in 1989, Kashmir’s largest militant group, Hizbul Mujahideen, declared it was Jamaat-e-Islami’s navy wing. Nevertheless, in a petition towards the 2019 ban, Jamaat-e-Islam claimed it had “by no means supported violence” and “by no means been related to the Hizbul Mujahideen”. In February final yr, the ban on the organisation was prolonged for an extra 5 years.
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Umar Farooq, Kashmir’s chief cleric, stated in a press release that “cracking down on Islamic literature” is “condemnable” and “ridiculous”.
“Policing thought by seizing books is absurd to say the least, within the time of entry to all data on digital highways”.
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