If 'The Kashmir Files' Can Be Made, Why Not 'Lakhimpur Files', Asks Akhilesh Yadav

Akhilesh's statement came at a time when the Bollywood movie "The Kashmir Files", directed by Vivek Agnihotri, has opened many wounds that were never healed even after more than three decades.

Lucknow: Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav took a swipe at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that if a film "The Kashmir Files" can be made on Kashmir, then another movie "Lakhimpur Files" should also be made. 

"If a film 'The Kashmir Files' is made, then at least there should also be a film 'Lakhimpur Files' where farmers were crushed under the wheels of a jeep," Akhilesh said while speaking to reporters Sitapur district on Wednesday.

Akhilesh's statement came at a time when the Bollywood movie "The Kashmir Files", directed by Vivek Agnihotri, has opened many wounds that were never healed even after more than three decades.

The film depicts the tragedies inflicted upon the Kashmiri pandits by the deep state of Pakistan and their loyalist terror outfits.

Several BJP leaders including Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself have praised the makers of the film for bringing out true stories of the genocide and atrocities that Kashmiri pandits went through in the valley back in 90s.

Akhilesh Yadav drew a parallel between The Kashmir Files and the incident that happened in UP's Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3 last year after an SUV belonging to the son of a Union minister and BJP leader Ajay Mishra Teni allegedly ran over farmers who were protesting against the Centre's three farm laws.

Four farmers and a journalist were killed in the accident. Later violence erupted in the aftermath of the incident and three more people were killed.

This was Akhilesh's first visit outside Lucknow after facing a defeat from the BJP in high-decibel Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections in which SP won 111 seats, while its two allies (Rashtriya Lok Dal and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party) together bagged 14.

The BJP returned to power with 255 seats and its two allies (Apna Dal-S and Nishad party) got 18 seats together, taking NDA tally to 273 in the 403 member UP Assembly.