Omar Abdullah accuses 'The Kashmir Files' makers of 'manipulating facts'

Former J&K CM and National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah on Friday hit out at the makers of 'The Kashmir Files', accusing them of 'manipulating facts' and lying about the incidents that had taken place during the exodus of Kashmiri pandits in the 1990s. Affirming his party's support to the community, Omar Abdullah asserted that there was a need to create an environment where Kashmiri pandits can return to the valley, and claimed that the makers of the film, did not want them to return.

"I want to ask the makers if its a documentary or a commercial movie. If it's a movie, then it has a lot of lies based on those incidents. Jagmohan was the governer then, BJP ruled when the exodus took place. Why is VP Singh not shown in the movie? Manipulation of facts cannot be justified," said the NC leader. 

'We have to create an environment where they (Kashmiri pandits) can return to the valley. The National conference will always stand with Kashmiri pandits. The filmmakers don't want them to return. We stand for Hindu-Muslim unity in Kashmir. I don't want to say much on Kashmir files otherwise our workers would be harassed. PM should come to the valley and listen to the local people to know about the reality," he added. 

About The Kashmir Files

Helmed by Vivek Agnihotri, The Kashmir Files is set in the backdrop of the early 1990s and outlines the horrific exodus of Kashmiri Hindus. Apart from Anupam Kher, the film also stars Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi and Darshan Kumar in pivotal roles. While the film is receiving accolades for its realistic portrayal of the events, the Opposition parties have accused it of creating a 'rift' between communities.

Responding to critics in an exclusive conversation with Republic's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami on The Debate, director Vivek Agnihotri said, ''I have not written the story in Kashmir, it is written by the Islamic terrorists, I have just presented it as is." 

He added, "We have interviewed 700 first-gen victims, spoke to them for days. Everyone was talking about the victims of Kashmir, nobody was talking to the victims of Kashmir. Therefore, we decided to go and find the real pain, and we have presented it as is without a full stop and comma."