J&K Police Release Video of 'Untold Kashmir Files' to Honour Sacrifices in Fight Against Militancy

The Jammu and Kashmir Police invoked legendary Udru poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz in a video published recently on social media to showcase their own sacrifices in the fight against militancy.

Called ‘Untold Kashmir Files’, the clip shows a large number of women wailing over the bodies of a cop and his brother who were killed by militants in Budgam recently.

The visuals of a large number of mourners are played against the revolutionary song “Hum dekhenge, lazim hai ki hum bhi dekhenge” written by Faiz.

Urging people to “speak up” against the atrocities committed by the militants, the video portrays the abuse of human rights of all those — irrespective of faith –targeted by militants. The video ends on the note that Kashmir will not be silenced by the atrocities.

Barely a week after the video was shared on J&K Police’s official Twitter handle, the Valley witnessed a string of targeted attacks on non-Kashmiri labourers, CRPF men and Kashmiri Pandits. The attacks are a replay of unrelenting killings of non-local labourers, cops, politicians and minority community members that started last October.

Police had been claiming that they eliminated almost all militant modules responsible for the killing, but even then the killings have continued.

The video came weeks after multiple screening of the movie The Kashmir Files that depicts the hardships faced by Kashmiri Pandits when they were forced to leave the Valley enmasse in 1990 fearing for their lives.

Though the movie has struck a chord with a wide audience, its makers have faced flak from many civil society proponents for ignoring the pain of Muslims and Sikhs around the same time at the hands of militancy.

Directed by Vivek Agnihotri, the film was granted tax-free viewing in most BJP-ruled states. It was praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many ministers, some even recommended people to watch “the brutal part of J&K history when the Kashmiri Hindus were hounded out”.

In theatres across the country, many young men were seen taking a pledge to avenge the atrocities committed against the Kashmiri Pandits. Others asked the government to take tough measures to pave the way for their return.

Equally, some sections, including Kashmiri politicians, hit out at the makers, likening the movie to a “piece of fiction” and “twisted to help the BJP reap political benefits”. Some said the movie will further trigger polarisation in an already polarised society.

National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah said lies are propagated in the film. He alleged that when Pandits were leaving the Valley, his father Farooq Abdullah was not the chief minister as the film depicts, but Jagmohan was the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and VP Singh led the government at the Centre with BJP support.

“The filmmakers have subverted the truth. Fact is all communities suffered, Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus were together in it. Many Muslims haven’t returned yet. The film has created divisions and ensures the pandits don’t return.” PDP chief Mehbooba hit out the government saying the manner in which it is agressively promoting Kashmir Files and weaponsing pain of KPs makes their ill intention obvious. “Instead of healing wounds and creating a conducive atmosphere between the two communities, they are deliberately tearing them apart,” she tweeted.

A few KP bodies at Jagti colony that houses maximum KP migrants too admonished the film maker saying by ignoring patriotic Sikhs and Muslims who too suffered like the Hindus, a rift was deliberately being created. Pyare Lal Pandita, who is a top leader of the community, said he rejects the “political project called Kashmir Files.”

In the tiny Chotigam village of Shopian where a local Kashmir pandit was fired upon and injured by suspected militants, Muslim neighbours rallied behind them to share their anxiety and admonish the perpetrators . The 120 households of Muslims has shown their dissent to the assailants who had targetted a KP chemist Bal Krishan Bhat by arriving at droves at his house in a display of comradeireship and disapproval of the attack.

The villagers had earlier ensured vehicles and attendants for an injured Bhat to reach hospital in time to get treatment.

Though Anil Kumar Bhat, Bal Krishan’s brother initially showed disapproval of the decison of his family elders to not migrate out of Valley in 1990s, he calmed down later to talk about the bonhomie of the two communities.

“We have shared joys and grief together for decades but today I regret the decison of my father who decided to stay put ib tbe village despite pandits leaving enmasse from here,” he told News 18. “Our community has faced the worst times and this attack has reinforced those thoughts that no Hindu is wanted here. Our lives, property and even cremation grounds are not safe. Our crematoriums are being encroached,” he said, looking visibly perturbed.

But hours later he seemed to have calmed down as relatives and friends poured in to console and comfort him.

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