7 books that faced bans in India and why they were controversial

Indian Express

5 hours ago

The Jammu & Kashmir Home Department has banned 25 books on Kashmir, citing concerns over 'secessionist content' and their alleged role in spreading misinformation, glorifying militancy, and undermining national sovereignty. The banned books include constitutional expert AG Noorani's The Kashmir Dispute 1947-2012, Sumantra Bose's Kashmir at the Crossroads and Contested Lands, David Devadas' In Search of a Future: The Kashmir Story, Booker-prize-winning author Arundhati Roy's Azadi and journalist Anuradha Bhasin's A Dismantled State: The Untold Story of Kashmir After Article 370.
The move, which invoked provisions of the new Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita and Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, has renewed debate over censorship. This is not the first time books have been banned or restricted across India or in specific states and territories for allegedly offending religious sentiments, distorting history, or threatening public order. Here are some books that have faced bans in Independent India:
Published in 1954, Rama Retold by British writer Aubrey Menen was the first book to be banned in Independent India. The novel offers a satirical retelling of the Ramayana, interpreting its characters, including Rama, Sita, and Ravana, in an unconventional manner. Menen's version sought to secularise the epic and question traditional interpretations, which drew strong criticism for allegedly offending religious sentiments. In 1955, the Jawaharlal Nehru government banned the book's import, citing concerns over potential communal unrest.
An Area of Darkness (1964) by Indian-origin author and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature VS Naipaul documents his impressions during a visit in 1962. Though Naipaul was of Indian origin, the book was banned soon after publication for portraying the country in a negative light. However, decades later, re-published by Pan Macmillan and is now available on Amazon. Naipaul's account focuses on poverty, bureaucracy, and social issues, described in blunt and critical language. The Indian government banned its import, citing concerns that the depiction was offensive and misrepresented the nation. Critics accused Naipaul of generalising and lacking cultural understanding, while others acknowledged the honesty of his observations.
The Rajiv Gandhi government 'banned' Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses in 1988, following global outrage from Muslim groups who considered its content blasphemous. The novel sparked protests worldwide and led to a fatwa calling for Rushdie's death. For decades, the book remained officially unavailable in India. In late 2024, however, the Delhi High Court closed a petition against the ban after authorities failed to produce any official ban notification. Shortly after, limited copies began appearing at Bahrisons Booksellers in Delhi.
Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code was banned in the state of Nagaland in 2006, following protests from Christian groups who considered its content blasphemous. The Nagaland government prohibited the book's publication, sale, and distribution, citing that it hurt religious sentiments in the Christian-majority state. The ban was prompted in part by the global publicity around the film adaptation released the same year. The film also faced opposition in other Indian states, including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, and Goa. Censors allowed the film to release with an 'adults only' rating and required a disclaimer stating it was a work of fiction. The book and film continue to draw controversy over their depiction of Christian history and beliefs, particularly the suggestion that Jesus married Mary Magdalene.
Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar's The Adivasi Will Not Dance, a short story collection published in 2015, was temporarily banned by the Jharkhand government in 2017. The ban followed criticism that the book portrayed Santhal women in a negative light. The decision drew widespread condemnation from writers and free speech advocates. The ban was lifted four months later after a review by the state government.
In November 2022, the Manipur government banned The Complexity Called Manipur: Roots, Perceptions and Reality, written by the late Brigadier Sushil Kumar Sharma. The book, based on Sharma's PhD thesis, claimed that the princely state of Manipur covered only the valley region at the time of its merger with India. The implication that the surrounding hill areas were not part of the state was seen as factually incorrect and potentially inflammatory. The state government cited risks to communal harmony and national security, saying that the book contradicted official records, including the 1950 White Paper on Indian States. The order directed that all copies be forfeited and prohibited further circulation. Following the controversy, the government announced that future books on Manipur's history and culture would require clearance from a state-appointed review committee.