Trigger Warning: death, sexual violence
In response to Vivek Agnihotri’s controversial film “The Kashmir Files” that hit the theatres recently, social media is flooded with the views of netizens shared by them. Twitter is buzzing with tweets, Facebook is full of posts, and TV channels have been airing debates. This movie is being discussed everywhere.
Where this movie has received much appreciation, it also faced a lot of criticism. When a movie is being praised and patronised in the political spectrum, as well as supported by controversial people (like paid anchors and actors), then it should be understood that questions will arise.
Nowadays, the whole country has become a theatre. Bollywood should stop making such kinds of movies. Everyone knows the truth about so-called, research-based movies of Bollywood. Agnihotri is not the first director to make such a claim. The more you publicise things, the more it sells in the market. Something similar happened with this movie.
This propaganda-based film, far from showing the truth, is being used to gain political concessions by politically-motivated persons. Some people must have seen the truth in this movie… Especially fanatics who unquestioningly support the media and Bollywood campaigns. But, it is significant that rational minds know what this movie is all about.
What Do Kashmiri Muslims Have To Say?
Kashmiri Muslims have raised objections to the film, saying that Bollywood should give up duplicity and support the truth. They want Bollywood to stop making films based on propaganda. People know that everything has been shown in the film except for reality.
Kashmiri Muslims admit that Hindus have also suffered a lot, but at the same time, they believe that the greatest loss in the Kashmir conflict has been inflicted on the Kashmiri Muslims. They think that even if Kashmiri Pandits were expelled from the valley, the government stood by them. Kashmiri Muslims, on the other hand, were left alone and restrained.
The people of Kashmir expect films on Kashmir to show the whole truth. Kashmiri Muslims wish to be treated in the same way as Kashmiri Pandits are, by Bollywood actors and directors. They want a director like Agnihotri to make similar films that depict the sufferings of Kashmiri Muslims too.
While Kashmiri Muslims complain about displaying this film in cinema halls, they also sympathise with Kashmiri Hindus. Muslims have no personal animosity against them. Both communities loved each other, and share the same culture and history.
The Muslims have kept not only their doors open, but also their hearts for Hindus. They are impatiently waiting for the Hindus to return.
Of Bollywood And Its Depiction Of Kashmir
While Bollywood exposed the beauty of Kashmir to the world through its movies, it failed to highlight the sufferings of the common people since 1947. A few movies were made in such a way that a clear message was sent to our enemy, Pakistan, to stop training terrorists, and accept Kashmir as an integral part of India.
Similarly, other films on Kashmir display how atrocities are being perpetrated on Kashmiri Muslims by terrorists. To date, no film has been made to show how Kashmiris have been oppressed and suppressed by government policies and forces. In my opinion, Bollywood’s entry into Kashmir should be banned.
If they do not dare to reveal the truth, then they should not make a film on Kashmir. It only adds to the suffering of the people, rather than sharing their pain. Bollywood has made many films on Kashmir so far, but none is based on reality.
Do you even know how much oppression has been inflicted on Kashmiri women and children? Has any film been made on such a topic so far?
Why There Is A Need To Open More Files From Kashmir
Now that Agnihotri has started opening files from Kashmir, I just want to assist him and give him access to the files that have been buried under dust as they lay pending on tables, waiting for justice. Also, many stay locked in cupboards. What the director calls the Kashmir files, are a mere, few pages that depict half-truth.
While he mentioned the plight of Hindus, he cleverly ignored the suffering of the majority community and other minorities. Apart from the files that have already been opened, more files of the same nature should be opened. These files should be looked into and action should be taken against those culprits whose names come to the surface.
Before accusing the people of Kashmir, let us revisit Kashmir’s history so that we may know the truth. We should open all the files after 1947. The answer to what happened in 1989-’90 must be hidden somewhere in these files.
What Was It: Exodus Or Genocide?
At first, you have to understand what happened to Kashmiri Pandits in the ’90s was not a genocide. You can call it the exile, expulsion or exodus of Kashmiri Pandits. I don’t think that genocide, ethnic cleansing and holocaust are the right words to define what happened. It is a now acknowledged fact that some targeted killings took place to startle Kashmiri Pandits.
The motive behind these killings was to unnerve them and force them to leave Kashmir. As per Jammu & Kashmir police reports, 89 pandits were killed from 1990-2021, while 1,635 people from other faiths were killed in the same period. This tells us that selective killings did take place, but the intention was not to massacre the whole community.
The atmosphere then was supportive of the militants. If they wanted all the Pandits to be killed, they would have done so. No one would have dared to stop them.
No matter how brave a person is, no one can pluck up the courage to touch a person with weapons. At the time, anyone who messed with the militants was shot dead, even if they were a Kashmiri Muslim. As far as Hindus are concerned, they belong to another religion, so it was difficult for them to live in such an environment.
Only two options were available to the Hindus: either to stay at their own risk or to leave Kashmir till the situation got better. In this tense situation, due to the fear of persecution, they felt threatened. This led to the fleeing of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley with the help of the administration.
हिंदूओं को बरगलाने के लिए काफी है फिल्म https://t.co/c1UkV3Pd1K@YKAHindi
— Imran khan (Hussaini) (@IMRANHUSSAINI12) March 21, 2022
Yet, many Pandits decided to live in Kashmir. Nishita Trisal, a scholar at The Harvard Academy for international and area studies, found that nearly 7,000 Pandits didn’t leave the valley due to economic constraints or attachment to their land.
“According to the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) government figures, 40,142 Hindu families were among the 60,000 families which migrated from the valley in the 1990s. Among the rest were 2,684 Muslim and 1,730 Sikh families.”
How Many Kashmiri Pandits Were Killed?
The Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti estimates that at least 399 Hindus were killed in Kashmir in 1990 (but members of the group said that the actual number could go up to 650). Another political group representing the Hindus who fled Kashmir, Panun Kashmir, has published a list of 1,341 Hindus who were killed.
The Kerala unit of the Congress tweeted that 399 Kashmiri Pandits were killed by terrorists between 1990 and 2007, while the number of Muslim casualties was 15,000. Some human rights groups say more than 1,00,000 people have died since 1989, while the official figures from Indian sources say 50,000 have been killed due to insurgency.
It is difficult to determine which report is more accurate and appropriate. However, the careful examination of all these documents reveals that it was Kashmiri Muslims and not Hindus, who were killed in greater numbers during and after the insurgency. What about the Sikhs? Many people share the pain of Kashmiri Hindus and Muslims.
But, no one is talking about the problems faced by Kashmiri Sikhs. They are also part of the conflict. They too were brutally murdered. Tragedies like the Chittisinghpura massacre happened to them too. Unlike Hindus and Muslims, they have endured their pain in silence.
What Happened In Kashmir After 1990?
What happened next in Kashmir? You need more courage to hear all that. Strict arrangements were made by the government to suppress the spirit of independence. If the word exodus is used to define the exile of Hindus, then genocide must be used for the killings of Kashmiri Muslims.
The spate of killings has been going on for three decades now. In the name of counter-terrorism, thousands of innocent Kashmiri Muslims have lost their lives since then. Those who stand with revolutionaries and showed resistance had to die, but the peace-loving people were not spared either. They had to face the wrath of state oppression.
The insurgency period in Kashmir can be defined as the reign of fear and trepidation. Jagmohan, the most controversial governor in J&K history, is known for his “Jaghmohan theory”. It is said that he helped Hindus to flee from Kashmir and then dealt with the revolutionaries with an iron fist.
Where this governor is known as the saviour of the Hindus, he is also considered as the killer of innocent Muslims. Jaghmohan used excessive power to thwart the campaign for independence (or an Azad Kashmir). The bullets were fired upon peaceful demonstrators who were raising pro-freedom slogans.
There is a long list of massacres in which people were killed in thousands, such as the infamous Gawkadal massacre (1990), Handwara massacre (1990), Hawal massacre (1990), Sopore massacre (1993), Bijbehara massacre (1993), Kupwara massacre (1994) etc.
Victoria Schofield, in her book “Kashmir in Conflict”, described the Gawkadal massacre as the “worst massacre in Kashmir history.” The three massacres in Gawkadal, Handwara and Hawal together, claimed more than 100 lives. Mass sexual assault took place in the valley many times.
On the night of February 23, 1991, in the twin villages of Kunan and Poshpora, a tragic incident occurred which is hard to describe in words. It was so painful and horrible that even today when people hear the story of this event, their feet tremble.
Hapless Kashmiri Muslims were forced to see their mothers, sisters and wives being raped in front of them by Indian security forces. This horrendous act ripped the hearts of people to shreds. Recurring thoughts about the mass rapes immobilised their brains.
In the first decade of the 21st century, a large number of mass graves were found all over Kashmir. The valley is notorious for extrajudicial killings and fake encounters. Many people have gone missing in Kashmir, only to be never found.
People still don’t know of the whereabouts of their kith and kin, who disappeared years ago. They don’t know who killed them, or where and how they were killed. It is difficult to find out where the tyrants must have buried their bodies. The families of the deceased are still longing to see the graves of their loved ones.
What Kashmir Has Suffered In The Name Of Counter-Terrorism
After 1990, Kashmiris were punished worse than death. The paradise was turned into hell. The administration took revenge on the whole state due to the mischief of some people.
What do you know about the president’s rule, or the governor’s rule? These words sound beautiful only in the constitution of India. When it is implemented in any part of the country, the people of that place suffer very badly. Governor’s rule is imposed on a state to deal with law and order situations.
And, this was imposed many-a-times in Kashmir. Harsh anti-terror laws such as the POTA, TADA, UAPA and PSA were enforced against people, from time to time, throughout the state. The law was also used to give special powers (AFSPA) to the armed forces.
Of course, these laws were made to eradicate militancy, but we can’t describe the extent of pain and damage it had done to innocent citizens.
The people of Kashmir face humiliation on an almost daily basis. In the name of security, their houses, cars and even private spaces, are searched thoroughly. They are lined up in long queues and their identity cards are checked. All this has created a fear psychosis in the Kashmiri society.
Some words which have been heard again and again in Kashmir are: CASO, pellets, identity card, unidentified body, encounter, unknown gunman, crackdown, protests, stone pelting, firing, army, militants, LOC (line of control), infiltration, jail, Pakistan, etc. These words often remain in the news.
The only thing left for the news channels in Kashmir to cover is the stories of bloodshed. They analyse and explain the acts of slaying. In Kashmir, we can only see death and destruction. We can’t even estimate the amount lost due to collateral damage. The houses that stood stand till the evening are razed to the ground early in the morning. We can only see dust and smoke.
During search operations, the soldiers use civilians as a human shield to defend themselves. The Internet is down for weeks and months. Due to this, Kashmiri students, medical professionals and others have to face grave difficulties.
Is The Government Serious About Resettling Pandits?
It has been eight years since the BJP government came to power at the centre. So far, they should have done a lot for Kashmiri Pandits, so as to relocate them in the valley. We would like to know how many Pandits have been resettled in Kashmir by the government so far?
The government would not like to answer such questions. Because, they have not done anything concrete for the welfare of Kashmiri Pandits. Does the government consider it a success to settle Pandits in separate colonies, away from Muslims? Isn’t that like committing social suicide? How can they live away from society?
In these settlements, they are living the lives of prisoners. Living in colonies under the presence of heavy security forces makes them even more suspicious and vulnerable. They can easily be used as soft targets as we saw at the end of 2021, when minorities feared being persecuted again, after a long time.
Instead, If the government had tried to settle them among the Kashmiri Muslims, in the same way they used to live in the valley before 1990, everyone would have welcomed this initiative.
The Kashmiri Pandits Are Being Used For Political Gains
Regarding the grave violation of human rights in Kashmir, India has faced a lot of criticism since 1990. Frequently, the reports being published worldwide go against India. And, to counter that, India is making full use of Kashmiri Pandits to protect and conserve its global stature.
India wants to imply to the world community that Pakistan and Kashmiri Muslims are responsible for the mess. In some BJP-ruled states, the movie has been declared tax free. The media is being used extensively to build up a narrative to support the cause. There are many benefits of promoting such films at the national and international levels.
First, to remind the world how Pakistan-based militants created havoc in Kashmir by persecuting minorities from time to time. Second, to link Kashmiris with terrorists and call them collaborators. Third, to portray this matter as a Hindu-Muslim issue to secure the Hindu vote bank in the country.
This is not the first film to expose the atrocities committed against Pandits. Before this, many films were made in which Kashmiri Pandits were remembered. One of them was the 2020 film “Shikara”.
The movie is being highly recommended by Bollywood celebs who urged people to watch the film to “know the truth”. But, it is necessary to mention here that instead of relying wholly on this movie, people must use an unbiased approach and go through reliable sources such as documents and published reports for a smooth enquiry into things.
When it comes to Kashmir, the truth is being suppressed so that it won’t reach truth seekers easily. This is what has been done by making a movie like The Kashmir files.
Netizens Demand Answers From Kashmiri Muslims
Most Indians are really serious about this movie’s merits, and have been persuading people to watch it once. At the same time, some comments go against the wishes of the Kashmiri Muslims. It can be seen that people do not even refrain from abusing Kashmiris with the vilest of cusswords.
They do not even hesitate to use derogatory words to refer to Kashmiri Muslims. Terrorists, traitors, Pakistanis, jihadis, bloody killers etc. are some of them.
It seems that Kashmiri Muslims are facing a media trial for the wrongs done to Kashmiri Hindus in 1990. It would be funny to say that it feels like an episode of the show “Aap Ki Adalat”, hosted by Rajat Sharma on India TV.
Meanwhile, a deliberate conspiracy is being hatched by miscreants to destroy peace. I say this because in India, it has been often observed that matters get heated up before riots take place. Through this movie, an attempt has been made to repeat this mistake once again. Whatever the circumstance is, the so-called war starts and stops with Hindus and Muslims.
Kashmir is yearning for peace and tranquility. Who knows the value of peace better than Kashmiris? There is no-one in Kashmir who doesn’t want peace. People are fed up with the daily killings and sufferings. The roar of bullets has pierced their ears. They can’t see their loved ones in blood-soaked clothes anymore.
They cannot bear the weight of heavy coffins on their shoulders every day. Their feet shy away from going to the funeral grounds. Their handss quiver as they bury their loved ones in the grave. It’s not easy to endure and forget, constantly. You will feel this pain only when you see someone very close to you dying in agony.
Kashmiris don’t want their children to carry weapons, pick up stones and lead protests. The circumstances force them to do so. Otherwise, their parents make an effort to raise their sons like princes. They enroll their kids in good schools. It is the children who get influenced by these daily killings.
The continued bloodshed stimulate their innocent, inquisitive minds to think about what is happening in their surroundings. They ask their parents about what is happening in Kashmir. The questions of the children silence the parents and propel them to digress for a moment. Can anyone dare to answer such questions of Kashmiri children?
Where About The Fundamental Rights?
There is probably no other region in the world more unfortunate than Kashmir. The people have been deprived of basic rights for three, long decades. There are some questions making the rounds in the minds of every Kashmiri today. These are:
“Aren’t the people of Kashmir Indian citizens? If so, where are our rights? Why have Kashmiris been disallowed to enjoy the rights that come under the ambit of the right to freedom (Articles 19- 22)? Why is Article 21 (right to life) being violated here every day?”
When Kashmiris talk about fundamental rights, the government turn a deaf ear to their pleas. The people of India are in support of the regime. They try to suppress Kashmiri Muslim voices by repeating these words sarcastically:
“Are terrorists also entitled to basic rights? Since when did terrorists start caring about human rights?”
The central government shows resentment towards the people of Kashmir for not obeying their fundamental duties (part 4A of the Indian constitution). The answer to this question is that fundamental duties are for those who enjoy fundamental rights. Why is everyone silent when it comes to Kashmir? Is it that Kashmiris Muslims are not human beings, but only Muslims?
The Kashmiri Muslims hold a grudge against the people who talk about democracy, human rights, feminism, modernism, and so on. When the Kashmiri Muslims needed them the most, they were watching the developments silently without speaking a single word in their defense.
The fact is that the Hindu and Sikh communities of Kashmir blame and hold the militants responsible for everything. On the other hand, Kashmiri Muslims accuse both the military and militants.
Most of all, if anyone is responsible for the mess in Kashmir, it is the politicians sitting across the LOC. In a nutshell, the people of Kashmir hold both India and Pakistan responsible for the political turmoil in the valley.