Closed collections - disfigured library and atrocity litrature.

After Kashmir’s ban on books, librarians are on a tightrope - this article was published in the leaflet on 23rd August, 2025. There was no authorship declared in the article. However , the message delivered had a disturbing  prediction. The potential for subverisve readership of banned books and clandestine intellectual persuit among the youth with a physiological oppositional behaviour. 

"The August 5 order claims to act as a preventive measure in a fragile region. Yet history suggests bans seldom succeed in calming disquiet. Instead, they deprive students, researchers, and ordinary citizens of access to serious scholarship. Noorani’s The Kashmir Dispute or Bhasin’s A Dismantled State are not incendiary pamphlets; they are serious works of law, history, and journalism. To remove them from circulation is to deny the public the tools to critically evaluate the issues that shape their lives."

Librarians, under the government directives , resort to restricting reading of banned books by depositing them in the 'closed collection section'. 

Closed collection in libraries refers to a section of the library's holdings that is not accessible for direct browsing by the public. Users must request the materials from a librarian or staff member. These collections are often established to protect rare, fragile, or valuable items from damage, theft, or wear and tear due to frequent handling. They can also be used to manage access to materials that are sensitive or controversial, although this is a less common and more debated practice.

"Librarians face a stark dilemma. By law, they must comply—removing banned titles from shelves, halting circulation, and updating catalogues. But librarianship is also guided by international professional codes, such as the IFLA Code of Ethics for Librarians and Other Information Workers, which stresses intellectual freedom, equitable access, and preservation of cultural memory. In effect, librarians are asked to silence voices when their calling is to amplify them."

             ...The Leaflet. 23/08/2025

Is it then necessary to ban books and therefore information by a democratic government. We may be sympatetic to the decree if not completely but partially based on the understanding of the often debated concept of provocative and atrocity litrature.

Atrocity literature refers to written works, often historical or semi-fictional, that document and describe acts of extreme cruelty, violence, and human suffering. This genre is often criticized for its potential to sensationalize violence, exploit the pain of victims, and be used for propaganda or political purposes.

However, the justification for the existence and study of atrocity literature rests on several key arguments.

 Historical Documentation and Memory: Atrocity literature serves as a vital record of historical events that might otherwise be forgotten or downplayed. It ensures that the experiences of victims are remembered and acknowledged, providing a powerful counter-narrative to official histories or attempts at historical revisionism.

Empathy and Moral Development: By confronting the realities of human suffering, this literature can foster empathy in readers. It can challenge individuals to reflect on their own moral values and their capacity for both good and evil, potentially motivating them to prevent future atrocities.

Social and Political Critique: Atrocity literature often exposes the systemic failures, political ideologies, and social conditions that lead to mass violence. It can serve as a powerful tool for social and political critique, prompting discussions about human rights, justice, and the nature of power.

Psychological and Philosophical Inquiry: These works offer a window into the darkest aspects of the human psyche and the philosophical questions surrounding evil, suffering, and survival. They are valuable for psychologists, philosophers, and sociologists studying human behavior under extreme duress.

Without doubt, the act of restricting information and opinion presented in a peaceful process if consumable. We should have good reasons to stop somebody from reaching out to others. The inadequacy of counter literature is the greater problem. It could be due to weakness of the counter argument or a weakly documented counter evidence. Often even counter evidence maynot be necessary. What need be is the ability of the curious mind to satisfy itself with definitive and progressive ideas of life as and independent journey and challenges rather than the necessity of diversion into stale social issues which never resolve as recorded in history. However may the solution be searched, ban on books appears to a desperate way to handle the problem. It is also to be remembered that such liberty is suitable for communities who are liberal at home in the same way they demand from the society.

Pratyush.