'I hope we can move towards peace, stability, and national unity.'
'I believe most Kashmiris want that too.'
David Devadas has spent over three decades reporting from Kashmir, becoming one of the most respected voices on the region's complex realities.
His book In Search Of A Future (The Kashmir Story) -- published in 2007, and lauded by former defence minister George Fernandes, R&AW chiefs and state governors -- was banned by the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
Devadas, who has consistently advocated for peace, dialogue and national unity, expressed surprise at the ban, especially in the absence of any formal communication or clear justification.
Known for his objective reporting and deep engagement with Kashmir's socio-political landscape, Devadas views the sudden ban as not only baffling but potentially indicative of deeper political motivations, particularly in a post-Article 370 climate.
"One wonders if it could possibly be that elements within the government are getting back at me for criticising them in recent articles," David Devadas tells Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff in an e-mail interview.
Your book In Search Of A Future (The Kashmir Story), which has been banned on Wednesday, was published in 2007. After 18 years, what do you think the government found objectionable about it that it has been banned?
Heard it was banned by the government of J&K, not the Government of India.
There was nothing objectionable in it. This government decision baffles me, since former defence minister George Fernandes had told me when it was first published that this book was "exactly as it should be". He attended the launch function even though he was unwell.
So did Dr Najma Heptulla, who later became a Union minister in the Narendra Modi government, and then a state governor.
Another of my books was released by the former governor of the state, Mr N N Vohra. Former R&AW chief A S Dulat participated in a discussion on the book.
It surely couldn't be that foreign powers, whose roles I have exposed, have found a way to engineer this!
One wonders if it could possibly be that elements within the government are getting back at me for criticising them in recent articles.
Why do you think the ban has been taken now, since the books have been in circulation for years, if not decades?
I fear that this might be in preparation for something else, but I hope we can move towards peace, stability, and national unity.
I believe that most Kashmiris want that too.
Were you informed about what the criterion for banning these 25 books and not others on Kashmir?
No. I have received no official communication.
When you published your book in 2007, did it create any controversy?
Ironically, this book was criticised from contrary viewpoints at the time. Some pilloried it for not being even-handed, not backing 'azaadi' and for espousing peace and dialogue.
At any point of time in the last 18 years were you told by anyone in authority that your book was 'anti-India'?
No. In fact, the opposite. Mr G C (Gary) Saxena, former governor of J&K and former R&AW chief, praised it highly when he participated in the discussion at the launch of the book.
Dr Farooq Abdullah, former chief minister of the state, told me it was 'absolutely truthful'. And Mr Naresh Chandra, former Cabinet secretary, once told me about this book: 'aapne toh badhiya kitaab likhi hai.
As a journalist you have covered Kashmir for 30 years, when this decision to ban 25 books came in, how did you feel? How will it push forward the government stand in Kashmir?
In fact, I was the first to write in 1988 that lava was gathering and would explode at some point. I brought out how bad the situation was in 1990, after I visited Kashmir in February that year.
During that visit, I went around Habba Kadal on foot to cover the terror and plight of the Kashmiri Pandits.
I was praised by leading editors and others for my objective and eye-opening reports throughout the '90s.
Was there any other book on the banned list that you felt surprised to see there and you felt it was not at all justified to ban it?
One name that springs to mind is the redoubtable Mr A G Noorani, whose work is meticulously researched.
The government says these books give a false narrative about Kashmir often disguised as historical or political commentary by glorifying terrorism and inciting violence against the Indian State.
Are Kashmiri youth so naïve that they will take up guns against the Indian State after reading books?
There is absolutely nothing false in my book. In fact, some of those who espoused 'azaadi' at the time didn't like it at all.
One of them told me that they went through it with a fine-tooth comb to find a mistake, but could find nothing beyond a grammatical error in a line I had quoted in Kashmiri.
Some say after the abolition of Article 370 the government wants to set a new Hindutva narrative in Kashmir regarding the history of the state, and that is the reason these 25 books were banned.
As a long time Kashmir resident and observer, do you agree with this?
You will have to ask the government what it intends.
We thought Kashmir had returned to normalcy post the abrogation of Article 370, as that was the narrative set by the government.
Has the Government of India been really successful in winning the hearts of Kashmiris? Will the process be helped in any way by banning these books?
I wonder if my book has been included in this list because I have written about inconsistencies and failures of the recent past as well as accomplishments.
Sadly, we now see a more lethal sort of terrorism in Kashmir than we had seen in around two decades.
As a senior journalist covering Kashmir, what advice would you give to the Government of India or rather the lieutenant governor of J&K to win over the hearts of Kashmiris?
They could follow the example of Mr A B Vajpayee, who won the hearts and minds of the majority of Kashmiris.
What is your next step, do you plan to challenge the ban?
I have just heard about it. I haven't even had a chance to read it in detail.