Daijiworld Media Network - Srinagar
Srinagar, Jul 4: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday suspended eight officials of the School Education Department and ordered a departmental inquiry after controversial books allegedly containing material glorifying separatists and terrorists were found to have been supplied to government schools.
The action follows the government's earlier decision to withdraw the books from educational institutions across the Union Territory.
The books in question are "Personalities and Legends of J&K", authored by Hilal Ahmad and Santosh Meena and published by Oberoi Book Service, Jammu, and "Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir", authored by Dr Sushant Giri and published by Anurag Prakashan, Delhi.
According to the government order, 123 copies of the first title were supplied to schools in Jammu, Ramban and Udhampur districts, while 128 copies of the second book were distributed in Jammu and Baramulla districts.
The order stated that the books contained "highly inappropriate content" related to separatism, indicating serious negligence, dereliction of duty and inadequate scrutiny by members of the concerned sub-committee and supervisory officers responsible for approving the publications. It added that the content had the potential to disturb law and order.
Invoking Rule 31(1)(a) of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956, the government placed the following officials under immediate suspension:
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 Budgam
Niranjan Sharma, lecturer, GHSS Badhat, Kishtwar, DIET Jammu
Renu Mengi, lecturer
Rajmohini, lecturer, GGHSS Poonch
The suspended officials will remain attached to the School Education Department during the period of suspension.
The government also ordered the immediate disengagement of Sheikh Suheel Ahmad, a contractual Computer Assistant assisting the Library Coordinator under Samagra Shiksha.
To investigate the matter, the government appointed Ashwani Kumar, IAS, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Power Development Department, as the Inquiry Officer. Rohit Sharma, JKAS, Additional Secretary in the General Administration Department, has been designated as the Presenting Officer.
The inquiry committee has been directed to submit its report to the competent authority within 30 days.
In addition, the government has banned and blacklisted the authors and publishers of the two books in the Union Territory. It also directed that all printed material authored or published by them be withdrawn from Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect.