Rs 200 cr earned from film should be used for welfare of Kashmiri Pandits: Sisodia

PTI, Mar 28, 2022, 4:00 PM IST

New Delhi: The whopping Rs 200 crore earned from ‘The Kashmir Files’ film should be used for the welfare of the displaced Kashmiri Pandits and rebuilding their homes, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told the Delhi Assembly on Monday, stressing that the pain of the community should be felt by people and not ”be sold in crores”.

In his address, he also said this huge amount should be either put into a new welfare foundation or existing foundations working for the Kashmiri Pandit community.

”I have not been able to watch the film, as I was busy with the (Delhi) budget, so I cannot comment on the quality of the film. But, it’s fine that a film has been made on the suffering of the Kashmiri Pandit community, and it should be seen by everyone. But, their pains should be felt by other people, and not that their pain be sold in crores,” Sisodia said.

The film has grossed Rs 200 crore, so now let the people living in Pamposh Enclave or a poor person in Kondli and other places also ”feel the pain” of this community, and ”put the film on YouTube for free, the deputy chief minister said.

”And, this Rs 200 crore should be used for the welfare of Kashmiri Pandits, those who had to leave their home and hearth in 1989-1990. In fact, a new foundation in their name should be made and that money (earned from the film) should be offered to it. Or, many such foundations already exist, so a little more money (‘chanda’) should be added to it, and given to them, so that this money can be used to rebuild their burnt homes, rejuvenate their faded orchards,” Sisodia said in an emotive address in the Assembly.

The controversial film, directed by Vivek Agnihotri and starring Anupam Kher and other veteran actors, has triggered a raging debate on the Kashmiri Pandit’s issues, and grossed over Rs 200 crore at the box office.

Recently, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said in the Assembly that the film should be put on YouTube for free so that everyone could watch it. The BJP in Delhi has been demanding that the film be made tax-free in the national capital.