The Kashmir Files Debate
The Kashmir Files debate continues as the continuous success of the movie creates additional controversy. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma responded to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s “anti-Hindu” statement.
During the Delhi Assembly, Mr. Kejriwal accused the BJP leaders of “promoting” the movie and asked the makers of the movie to upload the film on YouTube. While BJP countered saying Mr. Kejriwal made several movies in the past tax-free in the national capital but not the Vivek Agnihotri film.
“Arvind Kejriwal has made several movies tax-free in Delhi. I want to ask him why did he not ask to upload all those movies on YouTube? Why do you have interest only in The Kashmir Files being uploaded on YouTube?” he said.
Earlier on Friday, the Assam Chief Minister had accused Mr. Kejriwal of using the Delhi assembly “to rub salt in the wound of Hindus”.
“If you don’t want to make #KashmirFiles tax-free, don’t. But stop this constant mocking of Kashmiri Pandits. Their sufferings are a result of such condescending attitude & appeasement politics of secularists. It doesn’t behave a CM to use the Assembly to rub salt in the wound of Hindus,” Mr. Sarma said.
Anupam Kher
One of the film’s stars Anupam Kher also commented. “After Kejriwal’s statement, I think every true Indian should go and watch this film in the theatre. The only way you can give a resounding response to his insensitivity is by collecting more money and connecting with more people from Kashmir…He was crude, insensitive and he didn’t think about the lakhs of Kashmir Hindus who were thrown out of their own homes, the women raped and people murdered. The people behind him were laughing and it was shameless. That was also happening in the state assembly…If he wants to have a political problem with the Prime Minister or the BJP, he should have just spoken about that. But to bring in Kashmir Files which the people are accepting, feeling guilty, and saying ‘We didn’t know this happened to us’…to say that it is a propaganda film or it is a lie I think it was shameful.”
Akshay Kumar
On the other side, Bollywood A-lister Akshay Kumar praised the movie in his latest tweet.
“The Kashmir Files came like a huge wave in the country that shook all of us. Wo aur baat hai ki meri picture ko bhi dooba diya (It’s a different thing that it has also sabotaged my own film).”
Vivek said, “Thanks Akshay Kumar for your appreciation for #TheKashmirFiles.”