When I was returning home after seeing the Kashmir file, I was accompanied by ten people from the family and friend circle. Everyone was silent, and not a single word could come out of anyone's mouth. Maybe everyone was shocked to see this file. All were surprised to see the truth of the one who had heard the flying, broken news, on the screen. Was it even possible that their own neighbours, on whom they had kept their faith throughout their lives, had become enemies of life in their own country? The same neighbours’ bullets were ridding the body? Every one mind was flooded with many questions, but not a single word could come out of our mouths. But questions were getting louder and louder in our minds while stepping back into our home.
Is it time for Kashmiri Pandits to return and settle back
in Kashmir? Will they be able to bear it? Will they return to their homes, or ashes spread in their original courtyard like "Pushkar Nath Pandit"? after all why did all this happen?
This film brings out many bitter truths. The
truth that does the dirty business of 'hope'. While Kashmiri Pandits are
expected to return home, there are campuses of some particular universities
where 'Afzal we are ashamed, your murderers are alive' (अफजल हम शर्मिंदा हैं, तेरे कातिल जिंदा हैं). The slogans sound silly. The brainwashing is
so prevalent that so-called academics cultivate a different hatred and drag
youth into anti- nation activities.
If these intellectuals can nurture a certain
mindset by shouting slogans for Afzal Guru, will they now open their eyes to
the injustice done to Kashmiri Pandits through this film? Will those slogans
also echo in the premises of the same universities against this injustice that
'Ashish Kaul, we are ashamed, the murderers of your loved ones are alive (आशीष कौल हम शर्मिंदा हैं, तुम्हारे अपनों के कातिल जिंदा हैं)?' Or is it just
that we will see Kashmiri Pandits living in Kashmir, laughing in Kashmir (कश्मीरी पंडितों को कश्मीर में बस्ते, कश्मीर में हंसते हम देखेंगे). Will these
songs also be sung?
After all, why have we never tried to
understand the pain and suffering of 'Roliv Chaliv and Galiv' till now? When it
was shown on the screen, there was a flood of tears and an emotional breakdown
in the cinema hall. This film has created a national emotion. Will this emotion
remain with us, or will it end in a day or two? Will we be able to save Bengal,
Kerala or any other part of India from becoming a Kashmir file?
Earlier,
whenever there was a discussion on Kashmir Pandits, many of our intellectual
friends also used to say that Kashmir Pandits are cowards. They ran away after
leaving their house and family. They did not fight to save them and restore
their rights; they were cowards. Like these, many more things were said about
Kashmiri Pandits by our so-called intellectual friends. But after watching the
Kashmir file, we feel reverence and devotion towards Kashmiri Pandits because
we realise that this community is not only peace-loving but also knows the
importance of peace and harmony. They left the
valley to save the valley from bleeding, left the valley to keep the next
generation from getting into animosity, left the valley to remain with the
country and not betray the nation, left their home to save the nation, they
left the valley to stay in the religion and keep the dharma alive.
What happened to
them is now in front of the country in the shape of Kashmir Files.
The massacres of
Kashmiri Pandits were not external forces but some Muslim families living
inside Kashmir as neighbours and friends whose religion, insecurities and greed
helped the separatist forces. As a result, the 1990s episode came into the
lives of Kashmiri Pandits.
Kashmiri Pandits
lived in the Valley till 1990 with some open-minded faith and confidence in
their Muslim brothers and friends. Their faith in Kashmiriyat was alive even
after a history of six times displacement and 700 years of repression, and this
belief led to their destruction and exile. There must be some similar people
living in our neighbourhood. We will also have some similar friends on whom we
are reposting confidence and trust and keep ourselves sitting ideally.
Do we need to
learn anything from the Kashmir file? Do think about it.
CS Ravi Bhushan Kumar
