Kashmir Files not responsible for targeted killings, local administration made mistakes, say Kashmiri Pandits

At a protest against targeted killings in the Kashmir Valley, Kashmiri Pandits said the film The Kashmir Files is not responsible for the current situation.

Kashmiri Pandits held a day-long fast and protest against the recent spate of targeted killings in Kashmir on Saturday at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. The protesters said they were demanding protection from the government amid a constant attack on Hindus and non-Kashmiris.

One of them added that Vivek Agnihotri’s film The Kashmir Files is not to blame for the current situation, as has been suggested by some politicians. The movie only showed the truth, the protester said.

However, demonstrator Amit Raina did hold the local administration accountable. He said they had made some mistakes, including sidelining of senior police officers who had many years’ experience of working in the Valley.

“The government should understand that Kashmir is a different kind of state. After the removal of Article 370, the government was strict but later relaxed it,” he said.

Kashmiri Pandit SK Gunjan said the government should do whatever it can to safely evacuate Hindus and non-Kashmiris working in Kashmir. He said, “The situation is similar to that in the 1990s. At that time, my younger brother was killed by terrorists. I used to work at a bank in Kashmir and would demand posting in safe zones but the government did not pay attention,” he narrated.

Sanjay Ganju said the government should understand its responsibility and ensure no member of the minority community is killed in Kashmir. “If these incidents are not stopped, we will organise a public awareness movement across the country,” he said.

In the wake of eight targeted killings in the Kashmir Valley at the hands of terror groups, Union home minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting on Friday to discuss the security of Kashmiri Pandits.