In latest endorsement for The Kashmir Files, PM Modi says 'conspiracy on to discredit film'

Speaking at the BJP parliamentary party meeting in Delhi, PM Modi took a swipe at the critics of the films and said that they are furious because the Anupam Kher starrer reveals the truth that was deliberately kept hidden.

Modi slammed the critics of the film and said there has been a "conspiracy" to discredit the same.

In his speech, the visibly furious PM said: "The entire Jamaat (gang) that raised the flag of freedom of expression has been furious for 5-6 days. Instead of reviewing the film on the basis of facts and art, there's a conspiracy to discredit it."

"They are showing what they felt truth, if you have a different version, then film that too. Who is stopping you all? But they are surprised that the truth that they kept hidden for so many years is not coming out," said Modi in an apparent attack to the opposition Congress who had been in power during the 1990s, the period shown in the film.

Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files is a film based on video interviews of the first generation victims of the Kashmiri Pandit community's genocide in 1990.

The film opened in theatres on Friday with a promising box office figure amid a rave review by the audience among whom it touched an emotional chord.

PM Modi said that his concern is that the truth should be brought out in a proper manner.

"My concern is not just the film. I believe that it is beneficial for the nation to bring out the truth in the right way. It can have many aspects. Some see one thing, others see something else," he said.

"Those who live for the truth have a responsibility to stand with the truth at such a time," PM Modi said.

BJP-rules states back Kashmir Files:

Several BJP ruled states have exempted the film from entertainment tax, with some Chief Ministers even openly backing the movie.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that he and his entire cabinet would watch the film.

In neighbouring Tripura, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb announced that the state government would make screening of the film tax-free.

The Madhya Pradesh government has announced that policemen in the state will be granted leave to watch the film.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had on Sunday exempted it from entertainment tax in the state, noting that movie deserves to be watched by maximum people. 

Goa's caretaker Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has announced that the film will continue to be screened in the state with maximum possible shows.

Congress reaction:

Meanwhile, the film has also been caught up in controversy with the Kerala unit of the Congress, stating: “It was the terrorists who targeted the Pandits. In 17 years (1990-2007), 399 Kashmiri Pandits were killed in terrorist attacks. The number of Muslims killed by terrorists in the same period was 15,000.”

The tweet has since been deleted.

In another tweet, Congress claimed, “Even in the 1948 communal riots after partition, over 1,00,000 Kashmiri Muslims were killed in Jammu, but there were no retaliatory killings of Pandits. Pandits are victims of terrorism like other Kashmiris.”

The Kerala Congress went on to reveal what it claimed were more “facts about Kashmiri Pandits” and blamed the RSS and the BJP for the exodus.

Vivek Agnihotri's response:

In response to the Kerala Congress’s 'fact check' tweets over the Kashmiri Pandits' exodus depicted in the film, director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri shared a letter by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with the caption “Dear Rahul Gandhiji, your grandmother felt differently.”

Indira Gandhi’s letter was addressed to one US-based Dr Nirmala Mitra and was written in December 1981.

In the letter as shared by Agnihotri, Indira Gandhi wrote, “I share your concern. I too am unhappy that neither you who were born in Kashmir, nor I whose forefathers came from there can own a small piece of land or home. But at the moment, the matter is not in my hands and the Indian press, along with its foreign counterpart are so busy depicting me as authoritarian that that makes it all the more difficult to do necessary things.”

She went on to add, “The Kashmiri Pandits and the Buddhists in Ladakh are being very unfairly treated and discriminated against.”

Besides Anupam Kher, the film stars Darshan Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty and Pallavi Joshi among others.