Srinagar, Jul 4 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday ordered disciplinary action against officials of the School Education Department after two books supplied to government school libraries were found to contain “highly inappropriate” content related to separatism and terrorism.
The government said the books contained content related to separatism with the potential to create law-and-order issues and cited serious negligence and lack of due diligence by the officials responsible for scrutinising and recommending them.
An inquiry has been entrusted to Ashwani Kumar, IAS, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), while Rohit Sharma, JKAS, has been appointed as the Presenting Officer. The inquiry report has been sought within 30 days.
According to an official order, eight officials have been placed under suspension pending inquiry, while a contractual employee associated with the library procurement process has been disengaged.
The government has also ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter, to be completed within 30 days, and blacklisted the authors and publishers of the two books across the Union Territory.
The books were procured under the Samagra Shiksha library scheme, under which grants were provided for purchasing age-appropriate books for government schools.
An expert committee had scrutinised and recommended books submitted by publishers before procurement.
The two books, “Personalities and Legends of J&K” by Hilal Ahmad and Santosh Meena, published by Oberoi Book Service, Jammu, and “Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir” by Dr Sushant Giri, published by Anurag Prakashan, Delhi, were withdrawn after objectionable content was detected.
According to the government, 123 copies of the first book had been distributed in Jammu, Ramban and Udhampur districts, while 128 copies of the second book had been supplied to schools in Jammu and Baramulla.
The government has also directed that all printed material authored or published by the blacklisted authors and publishers be withdrawn from the Union Territory.
Following the objections, the School Education Department on Friday ordered the immediate withdrawal of both books from all government schools.
Commissioner/Secretary, School Education Department, Ram Niwas Sharma had said action would be taken against those responsible for their publication, approval, procurement and circulation.(NVI)
