GKPD condemns Kejriwal for 'The Kashmir Files' remarks
Darpan News Desk IANS, 25 Mar, 2022 10:31 AM
New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) The Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKDP) has taken strong exception to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's recent remark on the film 'The Kashmir Files'.
"Where is the question of making it (the film) tax-free," Kejriwal said on Thursday, while reacting to the demand for making 'The Kashmir Files' tax-free.
Kejriwal also said that if filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri wants everyone to watch the movie, he should release it on YouTube so that it is available to everyone.
Taking a jibe at BJP leaders demanding to make the film tax-free in Delhi, Kejriwal said that "he (Agnihotri) has earned crores in the name of Kashmiri Pandits and you are putting up posters on the walls".
The GKPD said that the 'docudrama' (The Kashmir Files) is based on personal testimony and meticulous documentation of community records.
"The entire world was shocked to see AAP legislators laughing and making a mockery of the story of Kashmiri Pandits' genocide. A simple request by the public to make the movie tax-free was hooted by the CM, who has past track record of granting such requests. Such discriminatory and hostile behaviour on an extremely serious subject is not becoming of the highest office in Delhi administration," said Surinder Kaul, co-founder of GKPD.
Rakesh Kaul, another co-founder of GKPD, said that Delhi has been a refuge city for the Pandits, including his family, since 1947. Following their ethnic cleansing, it was Delhi that gave shops in the INA market to the Pandits to rebuild their lives.
"It was the Delhi High Court that gave legal protection to the 200 or so IDP teachers who were hired by the Delhi administration. It was Kejriwal's cabinet that had to implement this court directive. With his hostile signalling to his administration and the local populace, Kejriwal has vitiated the atmosphere for the Pandits and filled their minds with new anxieties," he added.
GKPD's international coordinator Utpal Kaul said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that 'The Kashmir Files' has rattled those who wanted to subvert the truth that it reveals.
"Sadly, Kejriwal, instead of taking the opportunity to learn more and walk away from his past support of those who sought plebiscite and independence of Kashmir, has only sided with those who carried out genocide of the Kashmiri Pandits," he said.
National carrier Air India will commence normal operations to US from Friday, the airline said. On Tuesday, the national carrier said that it will not be able to operate a number of US-bound flights due to the deployment of 5G communications in the US.
Terming the nomination of Mann as a stage managed non-event, the SAD President said AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal never wanted to make Mann the face of the party in Punjab.
As per sources, the ED raided the house of Bhupinder Singh Honey, who is the nephew of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, on Tuesday and Wednesday, seizing around Rs 10 crore in cash from his premises.
On Monday, the political situation in Punjab and the names of probable candidates were discussed in detail at the BJP National Headquarters in Delhi under the chairmanship of party's National President J.P. Nadda, in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah.
Terming the nomination of Mann as a stage managed non-event, the SAD President said AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal never wanted to make Mann the face of the party in Punjab.
A source said Rs 4 crore in cash was recovered from the house of Bhupinder Singh Honey, the nephew of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. Another Rs 2 crore was recovered from the house of one Sandeep Kumar.
