The Assam Government has enacted a comprehensive ban on all forms of radical or jihadi literature, invoking Section 98 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. This directive specifically prohibits the publication, printing, circulation, distribution, sale, exhibition, possession, and storage—both physical and digital—of materials associated with extreme organizations such as Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), and Ansar-Al-Islam/pro-AQIS, among others.
The ban extends to any digital platforms, including websites, social media, encrypted channels, and online groups that promote extremist content, aiming to safeguard internal security and prevent youth from succumbing to radical propaganda. The directive mandates strict enforcement by Assam Police and all associated law enforcement agencies, including the Special Branch, Crime Investigation Department, and Cyber Crime Units, who are tasked with taking necessary legal actions against violators.
Supporting this prohibition, intelligence inputs and cyber-patrolling reports from the Assam Police and Special Task Force (STF) revealed ongoing circulation and digital dissemination of radical literature linked to the aforementioned proscribed organizations. Concerns reiterated by the law and order branch and the judicial department highlighted the dangers posed by such literature, which includes materials that glorify violent jihad, promote radicalization, and facilitate recruitment and operational incitement against India’s sovereignty. Given the nature of these organizations as terrorist entities, they remain banned under Section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, underscoring the government’s commitment to ensuring national security, communal harmony, and public order.