The melody of ‘Kashmir files’
Many films have been made in India on the situation in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The latest is “Kashmir Files” which has caused quite a stir. It raises the issue of “massacre” of Kashmiri Pandits (Hindus) and their eviction from the occupied valley. Muslims across India felt that the position presented in the film was one-sided, i.e. an attempt was made to prove that the Muslims of Kashmir had evicted the Hindus from there.
Not really! The opposite is true: several governments in general and the BJP government in particular have consciously tried to upset the population balance in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, i.e. increase the number of Hindus there. In such a situation, the claim of expelling Hindus from there is not easy to swallow.
The number of critics of “Kashmir Files” is increasing. He says the film will try to build a wall across the country. On the other hand, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is very happy. He needed an opportunity to humiliate the Muslims whereas Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri provided the opportunity. Now the BJP is playing “Kashmir files”.
Entertainment tax on the film has been waived in most of the states where BJP is in power. People are getting cheap tickets and they are flocking to the cinema halls in large numbers. The BJP and other extremist organizations and groups are touting the film as a clear symbol of Hindu nationalism. Free screenings of the film were also arranged at some places.
Leading Bollywood actor Nana Patikkar has reacted strongly to the release of “Kashmir Files”. He says that Muslims and Hindus have to live together in India.
They have been living together. According to him, the film will further divide the society and there is no need to raise a new controversy at this stage. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghile is also among the top critics of the film.
He said that at the time of the alleged massacre of Pandits in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the central government had the support of the BJP. The alleged massacre of Hindus was not stopped by the BJP and now it is favoring a film which only shows violence, no settlement or solution.
This will increase the divisions in the society. It is not appropriate to make such a film and present it for screening. Under the Modi government, the Muslims of India have faced severe difficulties. Narendra Modi has forgotten that he is the Prime Minister of the whole country. He has focused only on proving himself a Hindu Prime Minister.
Apart from the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, Karni Sena and other extremist organizations and groups have spared no effort to promote Hindu extremism across India. Every effort has been made to get the people through the process of division.
Well-known writer and filmmaker Gulzar had created “Matches” in the 1990s, which was focused on depicting the confusions of a new generation of Kashmiris. Gulzar was also accused of leaning towards Muslims.
There is no shortage of impartial and conscientious intellectuals in India who continue to expose the anti-minority thinking of the Indian Establishment and have no ambiguity in this regard. Arun Dhatti Rai is a well-known intellectual and novelist.
He has always taken a realistic stance on the Kashmir issue and has not felt any disgust, confusion or fear in putting it in front of the mainstream media. Indian society now needs things that will help unite hearts. The Modi government is pushing Hindu extremism to its peak.
Independent analysts and secular observers have been advising the government to focus on promoting genuine national thinking in the country while pursuing anti-minority and anti-Muslim sentiments, but it has not crept into Narendra Modi’s ears. What good can be expected in such a situation?
Movies like “Kashmir Files” are further dividing the society. There is already a lot of narrow-mindedness in India. People are fed up with the policies of Modi government. The results of the recent five state assembly elections have put peace-loving and balanced-minded Indians to sleep.
The return of BJP to power in Uttar Pradesh is considered extremely dangerous. The BJP is spreading the impression across the country that Hindus are in danger and now minorities will have to be rendered ineffective at all costs.
Breaking the deadlock created by this film is possible only if the people of every state across India, realizing their duty, come forward to stop the process of division of the society, mainstream and social media.
Send a message to the entire nation that Narendra Modi and his team are trying to push the country into the pit of narrow-mindedness, bigotry, extremism and ignorance.
Those who respond to the call of conscience should come forward and tell the nation that the only way to save the glorious traditions and cultural heritage of the country is to thwart the policies of Modi government through full harmony and pacifism.
Former Finance Minister of India and former National Spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party Yashwant Sinha has tried to shake the serious sections through an article in ‘Indian Express’. He says the current political leadership seeks to destroy India’s cultural heritage. What Yashwant Sinha has done requires a lot of continuous effort.
