Srinagar, Sep 23 (KNO): Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq on Wednesday sought details of 4,249 books withdrawn from colleges and libraries across Jammu and Kashmir, asking the government to disclose their titles and reasons for their removal.
In a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a spokesperson said Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq expressed serious concern over the withdrawal of 4,249 books termed “objectionable” from colleges and libraries across Jammu and Kashmir, with almost 4,000 of them from Kashmir alone, as disclosed by the government in the Legislative Assembly.
He said Mirwaiz, in a post on X, stated: “The disclosure by the Government in the Legislative Assembly that the Higher Education Department has withdrawn 4,249 ‘objectionable’ books from colleges and libraries across J&K, with almost 4,000 of them from Kashmir alone, is both disturbing and unfortunate. What exactly made these books objectionable? The titles and reasons for their removal must be made public.
“The spokesperson said academic freedom in universities and colleges and access to diverse perspectives are fundamental to education and the evolution of society. Attempts to ideologically regulate what students can and cannot read impoverish learning and critical thought.
“By withdrawing these books, whose agenda is the elected government implementing—its own or someone else’s? People deserve clarity on that.”
The spokesperson said Mirwaiz stressed that transparency on such an important matter concerning educational institutions and access to knowledge was essential, and that people had a right to know the basis on which such a large number of books had been removed from circulation.—(KNO)