SRINAGAR: Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq has questioned the withdrawal of 4,249 books described as “objectionable” from colleges and libraries across Jammu and Kashmir, with nearly 4,000 of them reportedly removed from institutions in Kashmir.
The figure was disclosed by the government in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
In a post on X, Mirwaiz sought the public disclosure of the titles of the books and the reasons for their removal.
“The disclosure by the Government in the Legislative Assembly that the Higher Education Department has withdrawn 4,249 ‘objectionable’ books from colleges and libraries across J&K, with almost 4,000 of them from Kashmir alone, is both disturbing and unfortunate,” he said.
The disclosure by the Government in the Legislative Assembly that the Higher Education Department has withdrawn 4,249 “objectionable” books from colleges and libraries across J&K, with almost 4000 of them from Kashmir alone, is both disturbing and unfortunate. What exactly…
— Mirwaiz Umar Farooq (@MirwaizKashmir) September 23, 2026
“What exactly made these books objectionable? The titles and reasons for their removal must be made public,” he added.
Mirwaiz said academic freedom and access to diverse perspectives were fundamental to education and the development of society.
“Attempts to ideologically regulate what students can and cannot read impoverish learning and critical thought,” he said.
Questioning the rationale behind the decision, he asked, “By withdrawing these books, whose agenda is the elected government implementing — its own or someone else’s? People deserve clarity on that.”
Mirwaiz said transparency was essential on an issue concerning educational institutions and access to knowledge, adding that people had a right to know the basis on which such a large number of books had been removed from circulation.
