Bhopal: Rajya Sabha Member and Madhya Pradesh's erstwhile chief minister Digvijaya Singh voiced support on Monday for IAS officer Niyaz Khan's suggestion to Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri – the director of the film 'The Kashmir Files'.
“It is sound advice. If the earnings (from the movie) are contributed for the education of Kashmiri pandits' children and their other interests then nobody should have any objection,” the Congress' former general secretary wrote in social media thus attracting an absolute maelstrom of criticism.
State Medical Education Minister Vishvas Sarang – who also holds the crucial Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation portfolio in addition to being a local legislator – said on Sunday that he will write to the Department of Personnel and Training for action against Mr Khan following the latter's comments in the context of the motion picture.
“The bureaucrat has no right to continue in office as his words constitute a violation of Services (Conduct) Rules. He should be aware of his limits in his capacity as an administrative officer. Mr Khan is fanning sectarianism,” Mr Sarang alleged to the press here.
India is the sole country in the world where the majority community is subjected to harassment and shown no sympathy, BJP leader and ex-chief minister Uma Bharati alleged.
“The truth is far larger than the quantum depicted in the film. I was placed in charge of Kashmir, I used to visit the place and witnessed people suffering,” the erstwhile Union minister said at Doniyapura in Bhind district's Gormi tehsil while unveiling a statue of freedom fighter Avantibai Lodhi – the valiant queen of Ramgarh – who fought against the East India Company during the First War of Independence that commenced in 1857.
Responding to Mr Khan's remarks, Agnihotri wrote, “Sir Niyaz Khan sahab, Bhopal aa raha hoon 25th ko (I am coming to Bhopal on the 25th). Please give an appointment so we can meet and exchange ideas how we can help and how you can help with the royalty of your books and your power as an IAS officer.”
Earlier, Mr Khan wrote, “Income of Kashmir Files reached 150 crore. Great. People have given a lot of respect for Kashmiri Brahmins' feelings. I would respect film producer to transfer all earnings to the Brahmin children's education and construction of homes for them in Kashmir. It will be a great charity... If you speak truth fanatics start attacking you. Social media is full of abuses (gaali) against me. The language of such haters will only show their low-quality education. Educated people use civilized language with great manner. But modern education failed to make civilized citizens…”
“There is a violent section of society who have blocked their ears to hear the truth. Even so-called educated people use street-level language to abuse the truth speaker. Bad upbringing and fundamentalists' company have eaten up their mind. Using dirty language shows their minds. Sad…”
“Thinking to write a book to show the massacre of Muslims on different occasions so that a movie like Kashmir Files could be produced by some producer, so that, the pain and suffering of minorities could be brought before Indians… Kashmir Files shows the pain of Brahmins. They should be allowed to live safely in Kashmir with all honour. The producer must also make a movie to show the killings of large number of Muslims across several states. Muslims are not insects but human beings and citizens of country.” (UNI)