On November 29, Advocate Vineet Jindal filed a complaint against Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid for calling the genocide of the Hindu Community in Kashmir as ‘vulgar propaganda’. In his complaint to DGP Goa, Jindal said he was filing a complaint against the filmmaker for his comments against the film The Kashmir Files that he made during the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) that was held between November 20 and November 28.
@vineetJindal19 filed Complaint against #NadavLapid with DGP @Goapolice1091 for abusing Hindu community sacrifice made In Kashmir by Calling movie Kashmir file as vulgar and propaganda.@ANI @PTI_News @ians_india @ianuragthakur @AnupamPKher @vivekagnihotri @ashokepandit pic.twitter.com/EdNoJZkFLa
— Adv.Vineet Jindal (@vineetJindal19) November 29, 2022
Nadav called filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri’s film The Kashmir Files “vulgar” and “propaganda”. He further claimed that all the jury members were “shocked and disturbed” as the film was added as one of the participants in the international film competition. He had said, “We were, all of us, disturbed and shocked by the 15th film, The Kashmir Files. That felt to us like a propaganda, vulgar movie, inappropriate for an artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival.”
In his complaint, Jindal said, “The statement given by Nadav is totally manipulated and with ill intention towards the Hindu Community in the garb of targeting movie Kashmir files which is more clear when one of the jury members AT IFFI Sudipto Sen through his Twitter account said that “it completely in a personal capacity- nothing to do with the esteemed jury board”. Sen’s remarks came after Nadav faced severe backlash not only from netizens but also from the film fraternity of India. Israeli diplomats have also reacted to his statements.
Jindal added, “The statement of Sudipito Sen shows that no such statement has been approved or discussed upon Kashmir Files between jury members at IFFI, but Nadav must have some hidden agenda in his mind against Hindu Community which came out during his closing speech in IFFI.”
He said, “The film Kashmir Files is based on the exodus and killings of Kashmiri Pandits in the valley in the 1990s by Islamic terrorists. By calling a movie based on a true story of the Hindu Genocide by Islamic terrorists that happened in Kashmir as ‘propaganda’ and ‘vulgar’, he is abusing the sacrifice of Hindus in Kashmir and targeting the Hindu community by using derogatory words Vulgar and Propaganda upon Hindu killings just to incite hatred in our country. The contents of the statement made by him clearly show his intent of instigating enmity between groups.”
Jindal said being a social activist and Hindu by religion, Nadav’s statement has deeply hurt his religious sentiments. He requested the DGP to file a case against Nadav under Sections 121, 153, 153A, 153B, 295, 298 and 505 of the Indian Penal Code. He said, “Nadav Lapid, by making above cited statement has committed offences u/s 121,153,153 A &B, 295,298 and 505 of IPC which are cognizable offences and very serious in nature. The complainant requests you to lodge FIR against him under the above-said section and take strict legal action against him so he can not dare to make such kind of Hateful and disturbing comments again in future.”
Speaking to OpIndia, Jindal said, “The way the Israeli director has commented on The Kashmir Files and called the content of the film ‘vulgar’ and ‘propaganda’ [is hurtful]. The genocide of the Kashmiri Hindus in the valley is our community’s sacrifice. Calling the pain we suffered and things we witnessed in the valley ‘vulgar’ and ‘propaganda’ has hurt our sentiments. This is why I have filed a complaint against the filmmaker to Goa’s DGP and requested him to book the filmmaker under appropriate Sections of the IPC. I feel the statement given by Nadav was planned. Hence, it is crucial to investigate the matter. He said it was a collective statement of the jury to call the film ‘propaganda’ and ‘vulgar’, but a jury member dismissed his claims and said no such discussion happened among the jury members. It appears the filmmaker came with a motive and gave the controversial statement at the closing ceremony of the event.”
