Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Wednesday said checking of books is a regular process and that any banned books should not be kept in government schools.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of his visit to Sheetal Nath Temple near Kral Khud, Dulloo was asked about reports of 42,000 books being banned and whether more books would be listed.
“This is a regular process. If there are any banned books, they should not be kept in government schools,” he said.
Dulloo also described Sheetal Nath Temple as an important part of Kashmir’s shared heritage, saying it was the collective responsibility of society to preserve such sites and pass their legacy on to future generations.
“It is our heritage and it is our duty as a society to protect our heritage and pass it on to future generations,” he said.
He said Sheetal Nath is believed to be one of the eight Bhairavas who protect the city of Srinagar.
Dulloo said the temple had historically served not only as a religious site but also as a venue for community gatherings and religious programmes.
“There were many programmes here. There was a programme on Janmashtami and there was also a programme on Basant Panchami. And this is not just a religious place. The whole community used to meet here and there were also social gatherings here,” he said.
He also expressed gratitude to the Sanatan Dharma Sabha for taking care of the temple, noting that it was repaired after being burnt down in 1991.
