Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday suspended eight School Education Department officials, terminated the services of a contractual employee and ordered an inquiry after two books containing "highly inappropriate content" were found in government schools.

The action came after the BJP, Congress and other political groups objected to the books, alleging they "glorified" separatism. The School Education Department on Friday ordered the withdrawal of both titles.

The books are Personalities and Legends of J&K, authored by Hilal Ahmad and Santosh Meena and published by Oberoi Book Service, Jammu, and Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir, authored by Sushant Giri and published by Anurag Prakashan, Delhi.

According to the department, 123 copies of one book were supplied to schools in Jammu, Ramban and Udhampur districts, while 128 copies of the other were distributed in Jammu and Baramulla districts.

In its order, the department said the books contained "highly inappropriate content" and blamed members of the Series-4 sub-committee and supervisory officers for "serious negligence, dereliction of duty and lack of proper due diligence" in recommending books carrying content related to separatism, which it said had the potential to create law and order problems.

Holding the committee members responsible for the lapses, the administration placed eight officials under suspension with immediate effect under Rule 31(1)(a) of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956.

The suspended officials are Fazil Imran Saddiqui, Coordinator Library, Samagra Shiksha; Gurjeet Singh, Assistant Coordinator, Samagra Shiksha; Sanjeev Sharma, Principal, Government Higher Secondary School, Kore Pannu; Shazia Kouser, Academic Officer, SCERT Jammu; Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir, Lecturer, Boys Higher Secondary School, Wathoora, Budgam; Niranjan Sharma, Lecturer, Government Higher Secondary School, Badhat, Kishtwar; Renu Mengi, Lecturer, DIET Jammu; and Rajmohini, Lecturer, Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Poonch.

During the suspension period, they will remain attached to the administrative department of the School Education Department.

The administration also terminated the contractual engagement of Sheikh Suheel Ahmad, a computer assistant attached to Samagra Shiksha's library coordinator.

Sinha appointed Ashwani Kumar, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Power Development Department, as the inquiry officer to investigate the matter. Rohit Sharma, Additional Secretary in the General Administration Department, has been named the presenting officer. The inquiry report has been sought within 30 days.

The order also blacklisted the authors and publishers of the two books in the Union Territory. It directed that any material authored or published by them be withdrawn from circulation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The controversy erupted after political parties objected to the books' contents.

The BJP alleged that the books glorified terrorists, separatists and stone-pelters and demanded an immediate ban on them, besides seeking the dismissal of education minister Sakeena Itoo.

Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma described the issue as a criminal matter rather than an academic lapse, alleging it was part of an "academic jihad" aimed at reviving separatism through the education system.

He claimed the books glorified "convicts, murderers, terrorists, separatists and stone-pelters" and criticised their distribution to schools under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, calling for their immediate withdrawal.

The Congress also demanded a high-level inquiry into the distribution of the books under the Samagra Shiksha Mission and sought an immediate ban on them.

"There is no place for such mischief... If the book carries objectionable content, as is being learnt, a high-level probe should be conducted to identify those responsible for allowing it to be supplied to schools and government institutions," Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said, adding that the books should remain banned until the inquiry is completed.

The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples' Forum also alleged that the books portrayed separatist leaders and terrorists as "great personalities" and "legends" of Jammu and Kashmir.