Insha Mushtaq Dar
The conflict in Kashmir was initiated back when in 1947, British India was partitioned into the Hindu-majority secular republic of India and the Muslim-majority Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and it still continues till this day.
In spite of the political and religious differences between Kashmiri Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits, both communities lived in harmony even after the 1947 partition. Post partition, when the whole of India was burning in communal riots, the Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits didn’t let the tension muddle their communal harmony.
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India’s founding father, Mahatma Gandhi, observing the communal harmony among the Kashmiri Muslims, and Pandits once said, “It is really difficult for me to distinguish between a Hindu Kashmiri and a Muslim Kashmiri. You people speak one language and have one culture. While the rest of the country burns in the communal fire, I see a ray of hope in Kashmir only.”
Things started taking a turn in the late 1980s when the armed movement began in the Kashmir region. The late 1980s saw the beginnings of insurgency in Kashmir marked by intense bloodshed. The alleged political ideologies and motives soon forced the majority of Kashmiri Pandits and many Kashmiri Muslims to migrate from Kashmir to Jammu or other different places in India. During the time of turmoil, not only Kashmiri Pandits but many Kashmiri Muslims migrated to different locations as well, primarily to foreign countries.
As per official data, 217 Kashmiri Pandits were killed from 1989, after which many Kashmiri Pandits migrated from Kashmir to other places in India. The data also reveals that the suspected militants also killed 1653 people of other religions during that era.
Some research claims that during the early 1990s, Kashmir had 1,40,000 Pandits, but that number was reduced to 19,865 by 1998.
The data reveals that almost 18,735 Kashmiri Muslims migrated to different places amid tension and turmoil.
Statistics also reveal that Kashmiri Pandits, as well as Kashmiri Muslims and other minority communities, were all victims of the insurgency.
A Movie 32 years later
The release of the movie ‘The Kashmir Files,’ has sparked a new controversy in India. While the makers claim that the movie is based on the actual incidents and events, many Kashmiri Pandits have come out against the movie’s release and claimed that the film aims to create rifts between the two communities.
The movie has put the already vulnerable Kashmiri Muslim identity in India in a difficult position. The film has portrayed Muslims as probable terrorists who deserve to be incarcerated if not eliminated.
Various videos surface on social media post screening of the controversial film, where people can be seen calling for extermination of Muslims openly. The videos reflect how ‘The Kashmir Files’ has spread poison against Muslims among masses. People could be heard raising slogans against the Muslims like, “Jab mulley Kaatey jaaye ge, Ram Ram chillaye ge” and “Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maro saalon ko.” Some people also called for Hindu men to marry Muslim women in order to reduce the population of Muslims in India.
The movie has totally concealed the events and incidents of Kashmiri Muslim neighbors helping Kashmiri Pandits during the insurgency. The movie mainly focuses on bloodshed, tension, conflict but doesn’t mention communal harmony.
The movie has neglected the incidents in which Kashmiri Muslims hid the Kashmiri pandits in their places, took care of them, helped them reach safe destinations, and stood by them in those difficult times. It has wholly overshadowed communal harmony and has portrayed Kashmiri Muslims as extremists and unsympathetic.
The overwhelming narrative that has been fueled by ‘The Kashmir Files’ puts the identity of Kashmir Muslims at risk.
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However, some sane voices have prevailed, who have called out the movie makers for spreading hate and communal tension.
After the movie’s release, many people demanded that a film based on Jammu Massacre and Gujarat Massacre should also be made.
Instead of focusing on hate, violence, and false narratives, the movie could have focused on reconciliation. A hearing and speech impaired Muslim father-son duo who have been looking after Gopi Tirith Temple, a small Shiva temple in Zabarwan hills in Srinagar, is a proof that communal harmony and affection is still prevalent among the two communities in Kashmir.
The friendship between a Kashmiri Muslim Mohammed Anwar and Kashmiri Pandit Chaman Lal, who have been friends for the last 35 years, is proof enough that Kashmiri Pandits and Kashmir Muslims have lived and can live in harmony with each other. Their friendship is an example to bridge the divisions between the Kashmiri Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits communities.
Another example is that of the Father-son duo, who have been guarding a temple in the Bijbehara area of Anantnag for more than 30 years. The father-son duo has been guarding this temple in Anantnag from 1989 to secure the rights of their Pandit neighbors.
Narrating the communal harmony between Kashmiri Hindus and Muslims to The Kashmiriyat, Balji Raina, a Kashmiri Pandit who didn’t leave Kashmir during the insurgency, said, “The members from Masjid committee came to me during the time of turmoil and assured me any kind of help that time. They even offered me to live at their places which I denied because I didn’t want to leave my house.”
“Back in the 1990s, when I was returning from work, the man at the counter refused to give me a ticket for the bus to return to my place in Pulwama, but then I was helped by one of my Muslim neighbors, he bought one ticket for me and didn’t even take any money from me,” Balji said.
“In 1992, because of the Babri Masjid demolition, a temple here was also set ablaze. I have been continuously writing to authorities to release ex gratia for the reconstruction of the temple, but it has been ignored every time. Then last year, my neighbor Gulzar Ahmad contributed some amount towards the reconstruction of this temple then only we were able to construct fencing around the temple,” Balji Raina said.
Balji Raina talking about the support from Muslim Kashmiris, said, “I have lived here in Kashmir in the peak of militancy. I live in a far-flung area, 25 km from Anantnag and almost 80 km from Srinagar city, yet I have been living safely and in harmony here. The entire Muslim population has stood by me. They have provided me all necessary support and love.”