J&K Govt suspends 8 officials over books allegedly glorifying separatism

The Jammu and Kashmir Government today suspended eight education officials and disengaged an assistant after two books with alleged separatist content were found in government school libraries, prompting a high-level investigation into the procurement process.

These books titled ‘Personalities and Legands of J&K-series 4’ were purchased under the Samagra Shiksha programme.

The suspension order has been issued under the orders of the J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

Those suspended include Coordinator Library, Samagra Shiksha Fazil Imran Saddiqui, Assistant Coordinator Gurjeet Singh, Principal Sanjeev Sharma,  Academic Officer Shazia Kouser,  Lecturers Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir, Niranjan Sharma, Renu Mengi and Rajmohini.

Sheikh Suheel Ahmad, computer assistant (contractual), has been disengaged with immediate effect.

Keeping in view the seriousness of the matter, the government has ordered a high level probe by a senior IAS officer Ashwani Kumar, additional chief secretary, power development department. Rohit Sharma, JKAS, additional secretary GAD, has been appointed [presenting officer in the case.

The action comes hours after the SED withdrew the two books following widespread backlash from the BJP and other quarters over the inclusion of the books in government school libraries.

As per the government Order No. 257-JK(Edu) of 2026, the government observed that there was “serious negligence, dereliction of duty and lack of proper due diligence” on the part of members of the Series-4 Sub-Committee and supervisory officers who recommended the books despite their “highly inappropriate content” related to separatism, “which had the potential to create law and order issues.”

The order reads that Samagra Shiksha had received a library grant for procurement of age-appropriate books for 18,328 government schools and 394 PM SHRI schools, following which an Expression of Interest (EOI) was floated.

“Four expert sub-committees comprising academicians from Jammu and Kashmir divisions were constituted to evaluate and recommend books for different school levels,” it reads.

As per the  order, 123 copies of the first objectionable were supplied to schools in Jammu, Ramban and Udhampur districts, while 128 copies of the second book were distributed in Jammu and Baramulla districts before they were withdrawn.

Meanwhile, Congress chief spokesman Ravinder Sharma has sought stringent punishment for those involved in the book row. He also demanded ban on books glorifying terrorism.