Srinagar: The National Conference on Friday broke its silence on ‘The Kashmir Files’ saying while the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits was a “stain on Kashmiriyat”, the movie was far from the truth as the film makers have ignored the sacrifices of the Muslims and Sikhs who had also suffered from militancy.
NC vice-president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah said that if ‘The Kashmir Files’ was a commercial movie, no one has an issue, but if the film makers claim that it is based on reality, then the facts are the other way round.
“When the unfortunate incident of Kashmiri Pandit migration took place, Farooq Abdullah was not the chief minister. Jagmohan was the governor. It was V P Singh’s government at the Centre which was supported by the BJP from outside,” Abdullah told reporters in Damal Hanjipora of Kulgam district of south Kashmir.
Abdullah wondered why this fact was kept away from the movie.
Interestingly, the NC vice president was there to pay tributes to party’s former leader, Wali Muhammad Itto, who was shot dead by militants in Jammu 28 years back.
“Don’t manipulate the truth. It’s not the right thing. If Kashmiri Pandits have fallen victims to terrorism, we have utmost regret about that, but let us not forget the sacrifices of Muslims and Sikhs who were also targeted by the same gun,” he said.
Abdullah said that some of those from the majority community were yet to return.
“Today, there is a need to create an atmosphere where we could bring back all those who had left their homes and not create a communal divide,” he said.
The former chief minister said an atmosphere would be created for the return of Kashmiri Pandits.
“But I do not think that those people who have made this movie, want them (Kashmiri Pandits) to return. Through this picture, they want Pandits to remain outside always,” he said.
Abdullah later took to twitter and said, “The pain and suffering of 1990 and after can not be undone. The way Kashmiri Pandits had their sense of security snatched from them and had to leave the valley is a stain on our culture of Kashmiriyat. We have to find ways to heal divides and not add to them.”
While replying to one of the tweets by a Kashmiri Pandit about the reasons for a long silence, Abdullah reminded him saying “…I’ve been saying it for years now, both as CM and out of office. Perhaps you weren’t paying attention to what I was saying then. I’ve been a long time advocate of a Truth and Reconciliation commission to look in all that happened from 1990 onwards.”
Earlier, in his address, Abdullah said attempts were being made to defame a community across the world.
“A common Kashmiri is not happy with what happened 32 years ago, that people were made to leave the Valley. Today, an impression is being created that all Kashmiris are communal, that all Kashmiris do not bear the people from other religions. What will be achieved by this? Will it make the road easier for their return?
“I am afraid that the hatred which is being created against Kashmiri Muslims today, God forbid, our children studying outside the state, should not bear its brunt,” he said.
During his tenure as the chief minister, Abdullah had advocated setting up of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to go into the events unfolding since the onset of militancy.
