Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has banned the literature of terrorist organisations like Islamic State, Islamic State in Khorasan Province, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Pir Panjal Regiment and Al Qaeda (AQIS) that "glorifies violent extremism and jihad and promotes radicalisation".

Chief Minister Devendra Fadanavis said on Friday that the the banned material allegedly contained content promoting radicalisation, including information on making bombs and carrying out lone-wolf attacks.

In a gazette notification issued by the Home Department on August 6, the state government also directed authorities to forfeit 114 items of radical literature, including magazines and books.

It said intelligence inputs, cyber surveillance reports, and investigations conducted by the state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) point to continued circulation, possession and transmission of "radical and extremist literature, publications, and propaganda material" linked to organisations engaged in or supporting terrorist and unlawful activities.

"Such material is found to have a content which glorifies violent extremism and jihad, promotes radicalisation, provides ideological indoctrination, facilitates recruitment, and incites or encourages acts prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, thereby posing a serious threat to public order, communal harmony and internal security," it said.

When asked about the government's action, CM Fadnavis told reporters here that the banned literature contained content promoting radicalisation and extremist activities, including information on making bombs and carrying out lone-wolf attacks.

"Earlier, there was no specific law in the state to ban such a material. Under the new Maharashtra Public Security Act, such content can now be banned and action can be taken against those circulating it," he said.

The gazette notification said that in March last year, top police and ATS officials had informed the government that certain newspapers, books, documents and other materials, including paintings, drawings and photographs, needed to be forfeited as they were associated with activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the state and public order,

"The state government is satisfied that the said material is associated with terrorist organisations, including but not limited to Islamic State (IS/ISIS), Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Pir Panjal Regiment, Al Qaeda (AQIS), and other organisations listed in the First Schedule to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, including associated websites, social media platforms, encrypted channels and digital networks propagating such content," it said.

The publication, circulation, distribution, sale, exhibition, possession and storage, whether physical or digital, of such material is prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, the notification said.

The 114 banned literature items include 44 issues of "Voice of Khurasan" magazine, "Are you still sitting", "Why Should You Join the Islamic State" and "Nida-e-Khurasan - 1 Urdu", all linked to the Islamic State/Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) /Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)/Daish/ Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP)/ISIS Wilayat Khorasan/Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham-Khorasan (ISIS-K) and all its manifestations, it said.

Issues of "The Revolutionary Resurgence", linked to Hizb-ul-Mujahideen/ Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Pir Panjal Regiment, "Nawai Gazawa e Hind", "School Of Yusuf" and "Modern Warfare", linked to the "Al Quida/Al Quida in Indian Sub-Continent (AQIS)" have also been banned.

This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.