Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. File image: @manojsinha_ X/ANI Photo
J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday (July 7, 20260 warned of “serious legal action” against those behind the circulation of pro-separatist book in the schools and instructed the authorities to examine the websites and digital repositories of universities and higher educational institutions to remove anti-India material.
The L-G’s move came days after a book, titled ‘Great Personalities and Legends of J&K’, profiled Kashmir separatist leaders like Maqbool Bhat, Masarat Alam, Shabir Shah and Syed Ali Geelani, and circulated in J&K schools under the national Samagra Shiksha scheme.
Mr. Sinha, who chaired a meeting of senior officials of educational institutions in J&K, reviewed the action taken regarding the circulation of books and literature containing anti-national and separatist content in educational institutions.
A Lok Bhavan spokesman said the Lieutenant Governor was briefed about the recovery of books “glorifying separatism”. Mr. Sinha called for strict legal action against those responsible for procuring, approving, or circulating the literature will face strict legal consequences.
He directed the concerned departments to put in place effective mechanisms “to ensure no procurement, distribution and availability of any publications including books, journals, magazines or any literature containing anti-national, separatist or objectionable content in the Universities, government and private colleges and schools, public and private libraries etc”.
The Lieutenant Governor called for examination of the websites and digital repositories of universities and higher educational institutions and immediately removed any objectionable material.
“Such incidents must not recur. Formulate of a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) governing the procurement of books and academic material for schools, colleges and universities. The SoP should provide for a robust screening mechanism, including periodic random scrutiny by a panel comprising eminent educationists, intellectuals and senior officers, to ensure that no material promoting anti-national or separatist narratives enters educational institutions,” said the L-G.
“Any lapse would invite strict accountability, and the Head of the Institution concerned would be held personally responsible for the same,” he added.
He said educational institutions in J&K must remain centres of learning, nation-building and constitutional values. “There will be zero tolerance for any attempt to mislead or radicalise students through objectionable literature,” he added.
Around 251 copies of the book, authored by Hilal Ahmad and Santosh Meena, were circulated among schools in J&K. Following protests by the BJP, a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered at the Police Station Counter Intelligence Jammu, which has raided several locations in Jammu and Noida including officials involved in publication of the book. The J&K Lieutenant Governor administration has already suspended eight officers and blacklisted two authors and publishers.
Published – July 08, 2026 08:26 am IST
