Image Courtesy:hindustantimes.com
Since the release of The Kashmir Files on March 11, 2022 the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members including Union Ministers have widely endorsed the movie. The Indian National Congress that is portrayed as the political villain in the movie criticised the same for manipulating historical facts. However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ha so far largely remained silent about the whole affair.
This changed on March 24, 2022 when AAP leader Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal openly slammed the movie and the BJP for its propaganda during Assembly proceedings.
Since the release of the movie, Union Ministers from Smriti Irani to State BJP leaders endorsed the movie despite its its exaggerated and often inaccurate narrative. The Ministers remained deaf to the criticisms from the Kashmiri Pandit community as eventually even Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the movie around March 15.
Worse still, states like Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh made the movie tax-free supposedly to allow more people to view the film. To all this and more, Kejriwal lashed out on Thursday asking BJP members, “Is this why you entered politics? What will you tell your children?”
He especially ridiculed the party for putting up posters of The Kashmir Files all over the country and condemned the party for falling at the feet of a film-maker.
“After eight years of running the Centre, if the Prime Minister of a country falls to the feet of Vivek Agnihotri then it means he has done nothing in these eight years,” said Kejriwal in the background of enthusiastic table-thumping and praises by other Assembly members.
Regarding the demands for tax-exemption, Kejriwal made a tongue-in-cheek comment to make the movie completely free by posting it on YouTube so that everyone can see it in a single day. Taking dig after dig at the ruling regime, Kejriwal compared those making such demands to the crowd of protesters in Bunty aur Babli movie who were unaware of what they wanted.
He even ridiculed Agnihotri for complaining to the Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar about a local BJP leader’s attempt to do a screening for free and calling it a “criminal offence”.
WARNING:
Showing #TheKashmirFiles like this in open and free is a CRIMINAL OFFENCE. Dear @mlkhattar ji, I’d request you to stop this. Political leaders must respect creative business and true Nationalism and Social service means buying tickets in a legal and peaceful manner. ? pic.twitter.com/b8yGqdrmUh— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) March 20, 2022
“In the name of Kashmiri Pandits, some people are earning in crores and you people have the job of putting up posters. Look at your state. Open your eyes,” said Kejriwal.
In the same speech he then cut into party politics and encouraged BJP members to switch sides. Comparing Modi to the German tyrant Adolf Hitler, the AAP leader said, “Even Hitler employed his lackeys. What did they [the BJP] give you? Did your children get jobs? Did they make arrangements for food and power?”
Claiming that his party ensured better healthcare, provided free electricity, gave jobs to 12 lakh youths and improved schools and hospitals in the national capital, he called upon people to leave the BJP and join the AAP. According to Kejriwal, he asked people to “stop this mindless following” and said that his party will not make people raise false slogans and put up posters
“We will work on nation-building together,” he said.
Naturally, his speech was well received on social media.
Vintage Kejriwal!
Disclaimer : Vivek Agnihotri and BJP people shouldn’t watch this video. pic.twitter.com/ablQfhdl9M
— Abhijeet Dipke (@abhijeet_dipke) March 24, 2022
Talking about a movie on genocide like this. Thank god he reminds us from time to time that he is Arvind Kejriwal. #TheKashmirFiles pic.twitter.com/hYlUQYtXE4
— Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) March 24, 2022
In the same way, Indian Express reported how BJP MP Manoj Tiwari struck back at Kejriwal by alleging him to be a “Hindu Virodhi”. Wrongly accusing him of making fun of Hindus, he said that the Kashmir genocide happened because of people like him. During initial release, similar comments were made by him by enraged audiences promoting the movie in cinema halls.
On the other hand, BJP General Secretary Dushyant Gautam said Kejriwal insulted Kashmiri Pandits. Other critics like Tejaswi Surya said he will “pay heavy political price for this inhuman depravity”.
By not only denying but also mocking Hindu Genocide in Kashmir, Kejriwal has made it clear whose side he is on – that of the terrorists.
He will pay heavy political price for this inhuman depravity.
Whitewashing terror is as criminal as perpetrating terror. pic.twitter.com/lZG8hfSGwM
— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) March 25, 2022
Among the most contentious points in the movie, critics gave a thumbs-down to the movie for distorting facts like the rule of BJP-led leaders both at the Centre and state-level at the time and the exaggerated focus on Hindus during the insurgency. Many Kashmiri Pandits speaking to the BBC Hindi or voicing their opinion on social media, pointed out that Muslims and Sikhs also suffered at the time.
Related:
Kashmir Files hate project: Radicalising people, one show at a time?
Jharkhand: Youths attack Class 9 student for not chanting Jai Shri Ram!
Silence is not an option: Journalists to India’s Constitutional institutions
The Kashmir Files: Right-wing