Kashmiri Pandits hit out at Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid

Jammu: Kashmiri Pandits, whose parents were killed by terrorists in the Valley, lashed out at Israeli film director Nadav Lapid on Tuesday for terming Bollywood movie ‘The Kashmir Files’ a “propaganda movie” and “vulgar”.

They demanded that Lapid be immediately deported from the country.

Calling Vivek Agnihotri’s movie as the ‘Schindler’s List’ of India, they sought to know from Lapid whether he, as a Jew, thought the same about the American movie based on the genocide of Jews.

Lapid, viewed as an anti-establishment filmmaker, had described ‘The Kashmir Files’ as a “propaganda movie” and “vulgar” at the closing ceremony of the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on Monday. He was the jury chairperson.

“The Kashmir Files unmasked the 30-year-old propaganda designed to hide the truth on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits,” Vikas Raina, son of principal Ashok Kumar Raina, who was killed by Hizbul Mujahideen, said.

“Does he know my pain? I lost my father when I was a child. My father, along with two of his lecturers, were brought down from a bus and sprayed with a volley of bullets,” he said.

“The Kashmir Files is India’s Schindler’s List. It is our truth,” he said.

Sandeep Kaul, whose grandfather Radha Krishen and father Shiban were dragged out of their house and killed by terrorists in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, demanded an apology from Lapid for “mocking the tragedy” depicted in The Kashmir Files.

“His remarks have reopened my old wounds. It has brought pain to me and my mother,” Kaul said.

Ravinder, whose father was killed by terrorists and his body chopped into pieces, said it is shameful on Lapid’s part to make such a comment.

“I want strict action against him for terming the film vulgar and propaganda. He should apologise”, Ravinder said.