In a deeply troubling development that has sparked widespread outrage across India, books portraying convicted terrorists and separatist leaders as "great personalities," "legends," and even "martyrs" have found their way into government school libraries in Jammu and Kashmir. Titled Personalities and Legends of J&K (and a similar volume), these publications—procured under the centrally sponsored Samagra Shiksha scheme for the 2025-26 academic year—allegedly glorify figures like Maqbool Bhat (founder of the terrorist group JKLF, described as "Shaheed"), Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Masarat Alam, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and in some references, even 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed. They reportedly use terms like "Indian Occupied Kashmir" and frame separatist narratives in a sympathetic light.

This is not a mere lapse in editorial judgment. It is an assault on the young minds of impressionable students in a region that has suffered decades of terrorism, sponsored by external forces, at the cost of thousands of innocent lives. Introducing such material into government-funded school libraries normalizes anti-national ideology under the guise of "history" or "personalities." Education should foster unity, critical thinking, and patriotism—not serve as a vehicle for ","academic jihad," as critics have rightly termed it.

How Did This Happen?

The books were published by entities like Oberoi Book Service (Jammu) and Anurag Prakashan (Delhi), authored or edited by individuals including Hilal Ahmad, Santosh Meena, and Sushant Giri. They were approved, procured, and distributed through the Jammu and Kashmir School Education Department. This points to multiple layers of failure: 

- Content screening committees that apparently rubber-stamped or overlooked inflammatory material.

- Procurement officials under the Samagra Shiksha scheme who selected and funded these titles.

- Librarians and school administrators who received and placed them on shelves.

- Higher oversight in the education bureaucracy that allowed this to reach students.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has acted swiftly: eight officials suspended, a contractual employee disengaged, books withdrawn, authors and publishers blacklisted, and a high-level probe ordered, including an FIR by J&K Police under relevant sections including UAPA. 

These are welcome initial steps. However, the public rightly questions whether they go far enough.

Who Should Be Held Responsible?

Responsibility must be fixed at every level where negligence—or worse, complicity—occurred:

1. The Authors and Publishers: They chose to frame terrorists as legends. Blacklisting is a start, but legal action for promoting separatism and potentially inciting disaffection should follow if evidence supports it. Publishing houses that profit from polarizing content need to face civil and criminal consequences.

2. Education Department Officials and Screening Committees: Suspension is necessary for immediate accountability but insufficient for deterrence. Those who approved these books for taxpayer-funded school libraries must face departmental inquiries, possible termination, recovery of costs, and prosecution where intent or gross dereliction is proven. "I didn't read it" is not an excuse for gatekeepers of children's education.

3. Higher Political and Administrative Leadership: In a Union Territory under central oversight with an elected government, questions arise about systemic vigilance. The opposition, including BJP leaders like Sunil Sharma, has demanded the Education Minister's accountability and a thorough probe into lapses. While political blame games are inevitable, the focus must remain on institutional safeguards. How did anti-India content bypass multiple checks in a sensitive region?

4. Broader Ecosystem: NGOs, academics, or influencers who may have influenced content or procurement also warrant scrutiny. Glorification of terrorism has no place in any democratic society's public institutions.

Mere suspension allows officials to return after a cooling period, often with transfers. Termination, blacklisting from future government contracts, pension forfeitures in grave cases, and legal proceedings under anti-terror and sedition-related laws (where applicable) are more proportionate. The goal is deterrence: no one should think that poisoning young minds with separatist propaganda is a low-risk bureaucratic error.

 The Deeper Implications

This incident exposes vulnerabilities in India's education system, particularly in curriculum and library procurement. Textbooks and supplementary materials shape national identity. In J&K, where integration and deradicalization are ongoing priorities post-Article 370, allowing such books undermines those efforts and insults victims of terrorism.

Parents, teachers, and citizens expect schools to teach facts—not one-sided glorification. Maqbool Bhat and similar figures were involved in violence; presenting them as legends distorts history and risks radicalizing another generation.

 The Way Forward

- Immediate: Complete withdrawal, destruction of copies, and transparent publication of the inquiry report.

- Systemic: Strengthen content vetting with multi-tier reviews involving security agencies for sensitive regions. Mandate guidelines against glorifying terrorism in educational material.

- Long-term: Promote balanced historical education that condemns violence while acknowledging complexities, without excusing separatism or terror.

- Legal: Fast-track cases against those responsible and consider amendments for stricter penalties on educational content that incites disaffection.

This controversy is a wake-up call. Education is nation-building. Allowing glorification of those who sought to break the nation has no place in government institutions. Strong, exemplary action—beyond suspensions—is essential to restore trust and safeguard the future. The people of India, especially in J&K, deserve nothing less.