New Delhi: The Congress has taken the Central Government to task over Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid’s criticism of “The Kashmir Files” at the International Festival of India (IFFI).
“The Kashmir Files” which was released in theatres on March 11 was part of the Indian Panorama section at IFFI and was screened on November 22.
The Congress said that the remarks of Lapid were an embarrassment for the government and that “hate eventually” gets called out.
The Congress sharpened its knife against the government after Lapid, the jury head of the 53rd IFFI on Monday described “The Kashmir File” as “propaganda” and “vulgar.”
The Congress said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) feverishly promoted “The Kashmir File” which has been rejected by the jury at the IFFI. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said that Lapid had called it “propaganda” and “vulgar” and “inappropriate for the film festival.”
Another Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed said that in his speech at the closing ceremony of IFFI 2022, jury Lapid made it clear he was “disturbed and shocked” to see the film being screened at the festival.
Lapid said, “All of us were disturbed and shocked by the movie The Kashmir Files. It felt to us like a propaganda and vulgar movie that was inappropriate from an artistic and competition section of such a prestigious film festival.”
After Lapid criticised the film, the country’s envoy to India Naor Gilon slammed him, saying he should be “ashamed”’ as he had “abused in the worst way” the Indian invitation to him to chair the panel of judges at the film festival.
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya also criticised Lapid for his comments on The Kashmir Files.
