Skip to main content
Sabrang
Sabrang
Communalism

The Kashmir Files: Calls for genocide and hate marches by right-wing extremists and trolls

Extremist elements use the pain of Kashmiri Pandits to further their own communally divisive agenda

Sabrangindia 21 Mar 2022

The kashmir files

Vile instances of hate speech surfaced over the weekend as right-wing trolls continued to widen the Hindu-Muslim divide under the garb of promoting The Kashmir Files movie. What is especially concerning is that divisive speeches inside cinema halls have now flooded out, and devolved into open calls for genocide.

On March 20, 2022 Hindutva propagandist using the alias ‘Kattar Hindu’ on social media openly called for Islamic genocide. Citing a particularly gory scene in The Kashmir Files wherein a woman was made to eat grains soaked with her husband’s blood called upon “Hindus” to avenge the suffering of Kashmiri Pandits.

Hate on social media

Using caustic language he instigated people to kill all “from young ones to old”. Making an ironic statement that he loves the country, he called upon people to wipe out the Indian Muslim community once and for all. He urged people to harass Muslims in any way possible stating that there is no need for a brotherly feeling among the two communities – once again, a singular statement considering the Indian Constitution’s endorsement of secularism.

Instead, he told his followed to abuse Muslims, sexually assault Muslim women of all ages, harass and torture them until they are forced to leave India.

“We won’t let them run from the country and we won’t let them live in the country. You all start harassing them,” he said in a video that has since been taken down from social media platforms. To top it all, he asked people not to engage in harassment publicly, openly accepting that the administration will arrest people because “the country is free and works on constitutional laws.” He further said, “The government will be forced to arrest you. Don’t do it openly. Think about whom you can target in a way that it doesn’t seem like you’re harassing them but they in fact do get harassed.” 

With this, Kattar Hindu not only owned up to the illegality of the actions demanded, but also that such actions go against the constitutional sentiments of India. And despite all this, he encouraged people to message him if they could not think of ways of harassment. In the video he also threatened to slaughter 6-month-old Muslim babies into two pieces and give one each to their parents.

He has a penchant for such inflammatory and expletive-ridden language. Kattar Hindu's social media platforms are plastered with ‘Jai Shree Ram’, a harmless religious chant that has been turned into a virtual war cry by extremists. Since the posting of this video, netizens have asked local police to look into the matter. Some people baulked at the idea of killing babies.

 

 

Support for hate out in the open

While this video circulated on Sunday, Guwahati City Centre mall witnessed a saffron flag march after the screening of The Kashmir Files. A group chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ walked about the mall on the upper floors while on-lookers simply watched but did not join in. The incident again garnered criticism from social media.

People pointed out that these actions failed to help the Kashmiri Pandits and only used them as “collaterals”. Another person said the hatred proved the “propaganda” in the film.

 

 

Yet, none of this mattered to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ajay Bisht (Yogi Adityanath), who met the film-makers at his Lucknow residence on the same day. According to Indian Express, Director Vivek Agnihotri, actors Pallavi Joshi and Anupam Kher thanked him for making the movie tax-free.

Governor Anandiben Patel was also present at the meeting. As per a tweet from Kher, the team was also called for evening tea at the Raj Bhavan.

In the evening, Adityanath tweeted about the meeting by saying in Hindi, “The film ‘The Kashmir Files’ boldly reveals the inhuman catastrophe of religious bigotry and terrorism. Undoubtedly, this film will make the society and the country aware. Congratulations to the entire team for producing such a thought-provoking film.”

 

 

Related:

Kashmiri Pandits refute communal claims made in The Kashmir Files

Govt to Blame, Where is Security for KP Families in Valley, Asks Sanjay Tickoo, KPSS

Has terror returned to haunt Kashmir?

Unemployed Kashmiri Pandit youth granted relief

Beyond Kashmir Files, a call for reason

The Kashmir Files backed by PM, FM, CMs; continues to fuel divide

Hate floods in the wake of ‘The Kashmir Files’

The Kashmir Files: Calls for genocide and hate marches by right-wing extremists and trolls

Extremist elements use the pain of Kashmiri Pandits to further their own communally divisive agenda

The kashmir files

Vile instances of hate speech surfaced over the weekend as right-wing trolls continued to widen the Hindu-Muslim divide under the garb of promoting The Kashmir Files movie. What is especially concerning is that divisive speeches inside cinema halls have now flooded out, and devolved into open calls for genocide.

On March 20, 2022 Hindutva propagandist using the alias ‘Kattar Hindu’ on social media openly called for Islamic genocide. Citing a particularly gory scene in The Kashmir Files wherein a woman was made to eat grains soaked with her husband’s blood called upon “Hindus” to avenge the suffering of Kashmiri Pandits.

Hate on social media

Using caustic language he instigated people to kill all “from young ones to old”. Making an ironic statement that he loves the country, he called upon people to wipe out the Indian Muslim community once and for all. He urged people to harass Muslims in any way possible stating that there is no need for a brotherly feeling among the two communities – once again, a singular statement considering the Indian Constitution’s endorsement of secularism.

Instead, he told his followed to abuse Muslims, sexually assault Muslim women of all ages, harass and torture them until they are forced to leave India.

“We won’t let them run from the country and we won’t let them live in the country. You all start harassing them,” he said in a video that has since been taken down from social media platforms. To top it all, he asked people not to engage in harassment publicly, openly accepting that the administration will arrest people because “the country is free and works on constitutional laws.” He further said, “The government will be forced to arrest you. Don’t do it openly. Think about whom you can target in a way that it doesn’t seem like you’re harassing them but they in fact do get harassed.” 

With this, Kattar Hindu not only owned up to the illegality of the actions demanded, but also that such actions go against the constitutional sentiments of India. And despite all this, he encouraged people to message him if they could not think of ways of harassment. In the video he also threatened to slaughter 6-month-old Muslim babies into two pieces and give one each to their parents.

He has a penchant for such inflammatory and expletive-ridden language. Kattar Hindu's social media platforms are plastered with ‘Jai Shree Ram’, a harmless religious chant that has been turned into a virtual war cry by extremists. Since the posting of this video, netizens have asked local police to look into the matter. Some people baulked at the idea of killing babies.

 

 

Support for hate out in the open

While this video circulated on Sunday, Guwahati City Centre mall witnessed a saffron flag march after the screening of The Kashmir Files. A group chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ walked about the mall on the upper floors while on-lookers simply watched but did not join in. The incident again garnered criticism from social media.

People pointed out that these actions failed to help the Kashmiri Pandits and only used them as “collaterals”. Another person said the hatred proved the “propaganda” in the film.

 

 

Yet, none of this mattered to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ajay Bisht (Yogi Adityanath), who met the film-makers at his Lucknow residence on the same day. According to Indian Express, Director Vivek Agnihotri, actors Pallavi Joshi and Anupam Kher thanked him for making the movie tax-free.

Governor Anandiben Patel was also present at the meeting. As per a tweet from Kher, the team was also called for evening tea at the Raj Bhavan.

In the evening, Adityanath tweeted about the meeting by saying in Hindi, “The film ‘The Kashmir Files’ boldly reveals the inhuman catastrophe of religious bigotry and terrorism. Undoubtedly, this film will make the society and the country aware. Congratulations to the entire team for producing such a thought-provoking film.”

 

 

Related:

Kashmiri Pandits refute communal claims made in The Kashmir Files

Govt to Blame, Where is Security for KP Families in Valley, Asks Sanjay Tickoo, KPSS

Has terror returned to haunt Kashmir?

Unemployed Kashmiri Pandit youth granted relief

Beyond Kashmir Files, a call for reason

The Kashmir Files backed by PM, FM, CMs; continues to fuel divide

Hate floods in the wake of ‘The Kashmir Files’

Related Articles

Communalism

Bilkis Bano gang rape convict shares stage with BJP MP, MLA: Gujarat

On the day before the Supreme Court of India is set to hear a batch of petitions challenging the premature release of all 11 convicts by the Gujarat government on March 27, an elected representative of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) shares a stage with gang rape convict

Communalism

Bilkis Bano gang rape convict shares stage with BJP MP, MLA: Gujarat

On the day before the Supreme Court of India is set to hear a batch of petitions challenging the premature release of all 11 convicts by the Gujarat government on March 27, an elected representative of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) shares a stage with gang rape convict


Sunday

03

Jan

Pan-India

Saturday

05

Dec

05 pm onwards

Rise in Rage!

North Gate, JNU campus

Thursday

26

Nov

10 am onwards

Delhi Chalo

Pan India

Theme

Stop Hate

Hate and Harmony in 2021

A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Taliban 2021

Taliban in Afghanistan: A look back

Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
2020

Milestones 2020

In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
Migrant Diaries

Migrant Diaries

The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.

Campaigns

Sunday

03

Jan

Pan-India

Saturday

05

Dec

05 pm onwards

Rise in Rage!

North Gate, JNU campus

Thursday

26

Nov

10 am onwards

Delhi Chalo

Pan India

Videos

Communalism

Bastar violence: Anti-Christian Campaign causes breach in Adivasi unity

Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .

Communalism

Bastar violence: Anti-Christian Campaign causes breach in Adivasi unity

Hundreds of Adivasi church-goers across villages in Narayanpur and Bastar, Chhattisgarh have been experiencing boycott, intimidation and violence since December last year, forcing them to leave their homes and live in refugee camps. Reportedly, Adivasi districts across Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh is seeing a rise Hindutva mobilisation against Christians .

IN FACT

Analysis

Stop Hate

Hate and Harmony in 2021

A recap of all that transpired across India in terms of hate speech and even outright hate crimes, as well as the persecution of those who dared to speak up against hate. This disturbing harvest of hate should now push us to do more to forge harmony.
Taliban 2021

Taliban in Afghanistan: A look back

Communalism Combat had taken a deep dive into the lives of people of Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. Here we reproduce some of our archives documenting the plight of hapless Afghanis, especially women, who suffered the most under the hardline regime.
2020

Milestones 2020

In the year devastated by the Covid 19 Pandemic, India witnessed apathy against some of its most marginalised people and vilification of dissenters by powerful state and non state actors. As 2020 draws to a close, and hundreds of thousands of Indian farmers continue their protest in the bitter North Indian cold. Read how Indians resisted all attempts to snatch away fundamental and constitutional freedoms.
Migrant Diaries

Migrant Diaries

The 2020 COVID pandemic brought to fore the dismal lives that our migrant workers lead. Read these heartbreaking stories of how they lived before the pandemic, how the lockdown changed their lives and what they’re doing now.

Archives