‘Why no film on exodus of Bengali Hindus?’: Taslima Nasreen after watching Kashmir Files

Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen has commented on Vivek Agnihotri’s movie The Kashmir Files and asked why there is no film on the exodus of Bengali Hindus from Bangladesh during Partition. “If the story was 100% true, no exaggeration, no half truth, then it is really a sad story and Kashmiri Pandits must get back their rights to live in Kashmir. I don’t understand why no film was made on the exodus of Bengali Hindus from Bangladesh,” the Muslim author who watched the movie on Friday said.

Kashmiri Pandits suffered terribly but…: Shashi Tharoor amid Kashmir Files row

The movie on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley, which was released on March 11, is now at the centre of political controversy with the BJP leaders throwing their weight behind the movie and the Congress attacking the government and the party for promoting a ‘propagandist’ movie. Several states making the movie tax free has also stirred a political debate. Director Vivek Agnihotri has been provided with Y category security.

Taslima is often found critical of her community. On the hijab controversy in Karnataka, the author expressed her strong opinion against the hijab. In this issue too, she has drawn a parallel of the exodus of Kashmiri migrants from the Valley to the exodus of Bengali Hindus from Bangladesh after Partition.

Congress criticised the movie and said when the Kashmiri Pandits left the valley, the VP Singh government was in power and the BJP had 85 MPs.

Kashmiri politicians have also attacked the movie and the government’s promotion of the movie. “The manner in which GOI is aggressively promoting Kashmir Files & is weaponising pain of Kashmiri Pandits makes their ill intention obvious. Instead of healing old wounds & creating a conducive atmosphere between the two communities, they are deliberately tearing them apart,” Mehbooba Mufti said.

Omar Abdullah said while the suffering of the Kashmiri Pandits is undeniable the movie showed many false things.

“The truth of Kashmir Files was inconvenient for the usual suspects but what is more troubling for the jamaat is it’s commercial success. After all, they had worked assiduously for decades to whitewash the genocide but all it took was a brave film to demolish it…,” BJP’s Amit Malviya said.