Senior communist leader and Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury on Thursday hit out at the makers of The Kashmir Files claiming the film is aimed to divide people. He questioned why only Kashmiri Pandits left the Valley when Muslims, Sikhs, and others too had suffered during militancy in the initial years.
The CPI(M) leader said the film will have ramifications on the ground as it is polarising people based on religion. “The people belonging to any religion or sect including Muslims, Sikhs, and Kashmir Pandits have suffered equally in Kashmir. Why did only the Pandits leave?” he questioned.
He said the film has omitted to reflect the role of the then Governor Jagmohan Malhotra when the migration took place. “It has not been highlighted in the movie. His role should have been there,” he said. “Every community was hit by militancy equally,” he said. Yechury mentioned a recent RTI reply by Srinagar police wherein, it is stated that 89 pandits and 1,635 Muslims and other faiths were killed since the inception of the militancy,” he said.
He said the film is inciting passions and polarising the people. “It is not going to help the country,” he said. He said the Editors Guild of India too has issued a statement regarding the movie. “Will you allow a film on Godhra and other riots in India?” he asked. The senior leader also demanded an early hearing of the petition in the Supreme Court that challenges repeal of Article 370. He said till the petition is not disposed of, the government should not take fresh decisions or rules.
The CPI (M) leader said joblessness and price rise have hit the people badly adding the constitutional pillars of the country are trampled with on regular basis. He said Parliament and other prime institutions of the country like the Election Commission of India, the Central Bureau of Investigation are being misused to reap political benefits. “The way constitution and institutions are being weakened, people’s faith in democracy will further wane,” he added.
