Islamabad – Senator Sherry Rehman has strongly condemned the Modi government’s recent ban on historic and resistance literature authored by Kashmiris, describing it as “a dangerous assault on intellectual freedom and a glaring example of India’s deepening authoritarianism under the current regime.”
“This move by India is an attack on the intellectual freedom of the Kashmiri people,” Senator Rehman said. “Restricting the space for independent thought in Kashmir reflects the Modi regime’s undemocratic and fascist ambitions. A country that fears books openly admits its own failure.”
She stressed that no government in history has succeeded in silencing the truth through censorship. “Suppressing history does not erase facts; it only makes them more prominent. Silencing voices and banning books is a hallmark of fascist regimes, and it exposes India’s growing intolerance towards diversity of thought,” she remarked.
Senator Rehman expressed deep concern over the long-term societal and cultural impact of such measures on Kashmir. “India’s policies have pushed Kashmiri youth towards intellectual enslavement. By seizing their books and erasing their narratives, New Delhi is attempting to wipe out Kashmiri identity, culture, and collective memory. This is not only an assault on Kashmiris but on universal principles of freedom and dignity,” she said.
Senator Rehman warned that such authoritarian measures will backfire. “Every attempt to suppress the truth has failed in history; India will be no exception. Bans cannot stop ideas; they only reveal the fragility and insecurity of those who impose them. Modi’s Hindutva government is damaging not only Kashmir’s future but also India’s own credibility and moral standing in the eyes of the world.”
She added that the international community must see this ban in the wider context of India’s systematic suppression of civil liberties in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK). “From shutting down internet access to imprisoning political leaders, and now targeting cultural and intellectual heritage, the Modi regime is systematically dismantling the freedom of an entire people. The world must not remain silent in the face of such blatant violations of fundamental human rights,” she urged.
Senator Rehman called on the United Nations, global human rights bodies, and democratic governments to take urgent notice and demand the reversal of the ban. “If the international community continues to ignore such dangerous precedents, the erosion of human rights and democratic norms in the region will only accelerate,” she concluded.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
