Jammu and Kashmir commissioner secretary, school education department, Ram Niwas Sharma, on Saturday ordered a probe and suspension of eight officials of Samagra Shiksha Mission along with removal of a contractual employee over the selection and procurement of two library books found to contain “inappropriate content”. An order regarding banning the authors, their books and publishers in J&K was also issued.
The action comes after BJP, Congress raised objections that the book allegedly “glorified” separatism. In an order, the school education department said the two books were withdrawn on Friday.
Ashwani Kumar, financial commissioner (additional chief secretary), power development department has been appointed as inquiry officer while Rohit Sharma, additional secretary to general administration department has been appointed as the presenting officer in the case. Ashwani Kumar shall submit his report to the competent authority within 30 days.
“As many as 463 books submitted by 364 publishers were selected for the school libraries. Out of these, two books ‘Personalities and Legends of J&K’, authored by Hilal Ahmad and Santosh Meena, published by Oberoi Book Service, Jammu and ‘Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir’ authored by Dr Sushant Giri, published by Anurag Prakashan, Delhi were found to have inappropriate content. Accordingly, these books were withdrawn,” read a government order.
“It has come to the notice of the department that these books have highly inappropriate content, it is quite evident that there was serious negligence, dereliction of duty and lack of proper due diligence by the members of the sub committee and supervisory officers while recommending such books which contained content related to separatism which has potential for creating law and order situations,” the order read further.
{{/usCountry}}“It has come to the notice of the department that these books have highly inappropriate content, it is quite evident that there was serious negligence, dereliction of duty and lack of proper due diligence by the members of the sub committee and supervisory officers while recommending such books which contained content related to separatism which has potential for creating law and order situations,” the order read further.
{{/usCountry}}Therefore, eight officials and supervisory staff of the school education department are placed under suspension, with immediate effect, the order added.
The officials have been identified as Fazil Imran Saddiqui, (coordinator library Samagra Shiksha); Gurjeet Singh (assistant coordinator Samagra Shiksha; Sanjeev Sharma (principal GHSS, Kore Pannu, Kathua); Shazia Kouser (academic officer SCERT, Jammu); Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir,(lecturer BHSS, Wathoora, Budgam); Niranjan Sharma (lecturer GHSS, Badhat, Kishtwar); Renu Mengi (lecturer DIET, Jammu) and Rajmohini (lecturer GGHSS, Poonch).
Sheikh Suheel Ahmad, computer assistant contractual has also been disengaged with immediate effect.
“Further, it is ordered that the aforementioned authors and publishers are hereby banned and blacklisted, henceforth, in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Furthermore, any printed material authored and/or published by them shall also be withdrawn from the Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” concluded the order.
The controversy erupted after political parties raised objections over the content of the book.
The BJP alleged that the books glorify terrorists, separatists and stone-pelters and demanded an immediate ban on them and the sacking of J&K education minister Sakeena Itoo.
The former deputy general of police SP Vaid criticised the J&K government and called it embarrassing.
Addressing media persons here, the leader of the Opposition in legislative assembly and BJP MLA, Sunil Sharma called the act “academic jihad” aimed at polluting young minds. “The chief minister Omar Abdullah should immediately sack education minister Sakina Itoo and arrest all those, who got the controversial book published for school libraries,” he said.
Accusing the school education department of promoting “anti-national” content, Sharma said, “The books glorify separatists, terrorists and stone-pelters while showing India in a bad light.”
He called it a deliberate attempt of “academic subversion” aimed at polluting young minds.
Echoing the same concerns, SP Vaid said, “Very unfortunate that my name figured in this book along with separatist and terrorist like Massarat Alam and Maqbool Butt, who waged war against India. Equally ironical is the fact that a government elected by the people of J&K under Indian Constitution approved this book for school libraries. Maqbool Butt, who was given death sentence after due process of law, was called a martyr in this book.”
The former DGP said that J&K government should tender an unconditional apology and order an immediate probe and take erring officials to task.
Similarly, the Congress also demanded a high-level probe into the matter. Reacting strongly, Jammu Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) said that there is no place for such a mischief, if the book contains objectionable contents as being learnt through the media, a high level probe should be held.