Rubbed Salt In Our Wounds: Kashmiri Pandits On IFFI Jury Head Nadav Lapid's 'Vulgar' Comment On 'Kashmir Files'

Kashmiri Pandits have condemned the statement made by IFFI jury head Nadav Lapid.

Kashmir Pandits in Jammu have condemned the comment of IFFI jury head Nadav Lapid on the film 'The Kashmir Files' and said that ‘he rubbed salt into their wounds’. 

"Kashmir Files was 5%, they didn't see 95% of what happened. We welcome Israel Amb's statement condemning it," says Yogesh Pandita, reported ANI. 

Another Kashmiri Pandit Ranjan said, "Condemnable. He rubbed salt into our wounds." 

Earlier, Nadav Lapid, head of the IFFI jury, made some controversial remarks at the closing of the 53rd International Film Festival of India. 'The Kashmir Files', directed by Vivek Agnihotri, was criticised by the Israeli filmmaker who was in attendance at the International Film Festival of India. The Indian movie was labelled as "propaganda, vulgar movie" by the director during the event on Monday. 

In the latest development, a Delhi-based advocate Vineet Jindal has lodged a complaint against Nadav Lapid for making remarks like "a propaganda" and "vulgar" for the film. 

Practicing lawyer in the Supreme court of India and social activist Jindal said that Lapid's statement is totally manipulated and with ill intentions toward the Hindu community. 
 
"By calling a movie based on a true story of Hindu genocide by Islamic terrorists that happened in Kashmir as propaganda and vulgar, he is abusing the sacrifice of Hindus in Kashmir and targeting the Hindu community and to incite hatred in our country," Jindal said according to IANS. 

Meanwhile, the film’s producer and Vivek Agnihotri’s wife Pallavi Joshi has issued a statement over the remark. The statement read, "For decades the international community remained silent on the sufferings of the Kashmiri Pandit Community. After 3 decades, the Indian film industry finally realised that it needs to tell India's story truthfully and objectively."

"Vivek and I were always aware that there are elements that would not like to see the stark truth on the screen, but it is very unfortunate that a creative platform was used for a political agenda to preserve an old, false and jaded narrative about Kashmir," the statement added.

"We are overwhelmed by the way the people of India rose to defend The Kashmir Files against the rude and vulgar statements of a genocide denier," she said.

Joshi added, "I would like to assure our audience and supporters that ’The Kashmir Files’ remains a people’s film. I also want to thank the Israeli Ambassador H.E Noor Gilon and the Consul General Shri Kobbi Shoshoni for their support. I Am Buddha stands for India and we will continue the path of truth and resilience to keep making meaningful cinema with original Indian content."