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The Maharashtra government has banned and ordered the forfeiture of 114 book

The Maharashtra government has banned and ordered the forfeiture of 114 books, magazines and other publications allegedly linked to proscribed terrorist organisations and accused of glorifying violent extremism. The August 6 Home Department notification names outfits including ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen’s Pir Panjal Regiment and Al Qaeda’s AQIS. The government says the material promotes violent extremism, jihad and radicalisation, with some content allegedly containing instructions related to bomb-making and lone-wolf attacks. The order also extends to websites, social media platforms, encrypted channels and digital networks allegedly used to propagate such content. The move comes amid a wider debate over how governments tackle extremist propaganda and where the line lies between countering radicalisation and protecting legitimate freedom of expression.