Assam CM Slams Arvind Kejriwal Over 'Kashmir Files' Remark: 'Stop Mocking Kashmiri Pandits'

Director Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files has been making the headlines ever since it was released in theatres. While the movie has been declared tax-free in states including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Tripura, and Goa, Delhi CM’s reaction on making the film tax free has been in the news. During the budget session in the Delhi Assembly, Kejriwal questioned the decision behind making The Kashmir Files tax-free and mockingly suggested Vivek should just upload the movie on YouTube where everyone can watch it for free.

On Friday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to Twitter and reacted to Kejriwal’s comment. He urged Delhi CM to stop ‘constantly mocking’ the Kashmiri Pandits.

Sarma further urged Kejriwal not to rub salt into Hindus’ wounds. “If you don’t want to make #KashmirFiles tax-free, don’t. But stop this constant mocking of Kashmiri Pandits. Their sufferings are a result of such condescending attitudes and appeasement politics of secularists. It doesn’t behove a CM to use the Assembly to rub salt in the wounds of Hindus,” tweeted Sarma.

Earlier on Friday, The Kashmir Files’ director Vivek Agnihotri reacted to Kejriwal’s comment on ‘uploading the movie on YouTube’, instead of making it tax-free’. In an interaction with First Post, Agnihotri asked if the Delhi CM did say that. “Am I really supposed to react to something so absurd? Would he ask Steven Spielberg to upload Schindler’s List on YouTube? Not that I am comparing my small film to Schindler’s List. Just asking,” Agnihotri said.

The director added that he’d rather concentrate on the crores of people watching the film instead of ’20 politicians who are professional abusers.’ “Two crore people have seen The Kashmir Files already. They are responding with deep pure emotions. I would rather concentrate on those two-crore people than the 20 politicians who are professional abusers,” he said.

The Kashmir Files has emerged as the biggest hit since the pandemic set in. The film, which focuses on the exodus of Kashmiri pandits, has already surpassed Rs 200 crore collection. Sharing the latest box office collection of The Kashmir Files, trade analyst Taran Adarsh tweeted on Friday, “From ₹ 3.55 cr on Day 1 to ₹ 207.33 cr on Day 14, #TheKashmirFiles has packed a HISTORIC TOTAL in 2 weeks… EPIC BLOCKBUSTER… [Week 2] Fri 19.15 cr, Sat 24.80 cr, Sun 26.20 cr, Mon 12.40 cr, Tue 10.25 cr, Wed 10.03 cr, Thu 7.20 cr. Total: ₹ 207.33 cr. #India biz.”

While The Kashmir Files is still basking in the success, Vivek Agnihotri is already talking about his upcoming film Delhi Files. The movie is the third film in the Files trilogy. Agnihotri has said that after he wraps Delhi Files, he would not return to the Files series.

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