“The Kashmir Files” may be important for BJP, for me Kashmiri Pandits are important: Kejriwal
“The Kashmir Files” may be important for BJP, but for me Kashmiri Pandits are important: Kejriwal
Says if he were the PM he would have led the Kashmiris back into Kashmir instead of making a film on them
New Delhi, March 28 (Delhi Crown): The BJP was in power at the Centre from 1998 till 2004 and now since 2014, why they didn’t do anything for the rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Pandits back in their hometowns in Jammu and Kashmir, said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a TV interview.
“The Kashmir Files movie might be important for the BJP, but for me the Kashmiri Pandits are important. I had regularised as many as 233 Kashmiri Pandit teachers in the Delhi government retrospectively since 1993 when they had joined as Guest teachers. Why couldn’t the BJP do it whenever it was in power in Delhi over the past 30 years,” Kejriwal told the female anchor of the TV channel.
He added – “Today had I been there running the Central Government, I wouldn’t have made or promoted a film like they are doing. I would have held the hands of the Kashmiri Pandits who are living a life of refugees, and taken them back to their hometowns and rehabilitated them back in Kashmir.”
“You ask the Kashmiri Pandits if they want The Kashmir Files movie, or their rehabilitation,” said Kejriwal, and added – “It’s wrong to interpret that I and my partymen laughed at the Kashmiri Pandits. It’s a propaganda of the BJP. We actually laughed at the way the BJP leaders are busy in promoting this movie.”
Responding to a question as to why he had not yet declared The Kashmir Files movies tax-free, Kejriwal said – “I don’t think it’s fair that some people are doing politics over the Kashmiri Pandits and earning crores of Rupees at their misery. There is a need to help those homeless Kashmiri Pandits, to take them back to their hometowns in Jammu and Kashmir and rehabilitate them there, not simply make a film on them.”
He stated in the interview that he wasn’t against the movie per se, but he was against the way the BJP is promoting the film.
“I want to know what did the BJP do in the past eight years,” he said and added that – “Let’s stop doing politics over Kashmiri Pandits and do something for rehabilitating them back in Kashmir.”
The Delhi CM further stated that his party (AAP) will support the Central Government if it takes an initiative towards rehabilitating the Kashmiri Pandits back in Kashmir.
