Fact Check: The Kashmir Files and related misinformation

The Kashmir FilesA recent Bollywood film based on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits during the nineties has provided fodder for various false and misleading news. The film, directed by Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri and starring Anupam Kher and Pallavi Joshi, has been made tax-free in several states. This has rekindled the debate on insurgency in the erstwhile state.

Here are some of the social media claims about the film and its alleged repercussions.

Rhode Island Officially Recognized “Kashmir Genocide”?

This is the claim of the director himself. He tweeted on March 14 that Rhode Island, a state in the United States, “officially recognized the Kashmir genocide because of a very short film.”

,Here archived tweet)

Taking a closer look at the quote he shared, we would know that there is no mention of the word genocide.

Journalist Rakib Hameed Nayaki Rhode Island’s State Representative Brian Patrick contacted Kennedy and posted his response. “The quote from the state was intended only to recognize the premiere of this film,” wrote Mr. Kennedy, adding that “a quote is merely an acknowledgment of a particular event. It does not carry the weight of a motion approved by members of the House.”

Fact Check: False.

How many Kashmiri Pandits were killed in the Valley?

A reply from the Srinagar Police Headquarters was being widely circulated with the claim that only 89 Kashmiri Pandits had been killed since 1990. Similar claims can be read Here, HereAnd Here,

Image is real. Hindi newspaper Dainik Bhaskarpublished An article about RTI. The article mentions that the data was 31 years old, i.e. from January 1990. But the first signs of militancy in Kashmir began in 1988 and the first major attack occurred in September 1989 with the assassination of prominent Kashmiri Pandit lawyer and BJP leader. Tika Lal Taplu, This, and several other attacks, were not covered in the RTI query.

To a question asked by the then Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh, the Ministry of Home Affairs on 20.12.2017 said: “As per the report of the State Government of Jammu and Kashmir, 174 cases of killing of Kashmiri Pandits by terrorists have been registered in Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmir Police.”

in 2010, HinduReported That the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly was informed that since 1989, 219 Kashmiri Pandits had been killed by terrorists, while 24,202 families were out of a total of 38,119 families who had moved out of the Valley due to the unrest. Shujaat Bukhari, the correspondent who wrote the story, was gunned down by terrorists in Srinagar on June 14, 2018.

Though there are discrepancies on the numbers reported by various agencies, it is certain that more than 89 Pandits and many others lost their lives due to terror.

Fact Check: Misleading

Did BJP leaders cry after watching the film?

a Video LK Advani gets emotional during the screening of a film, and another Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath shedding tears It went viral claiming that this was his reaction after watching The Kashmir Files.

Mr. Advani got emotional after watching a film on Kashmir, but it was shikara, The film was released in 2020. Vidhu Vinod Chopra Films, which produced Shikara, had organized a special screening for the veteran leader. His response was captured and uploaded to his Instagram page on February 7, 2020. The clip also features the film’s director Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Mr. Advani’s daughter Pratibha.

Mr. Adityanath also got emotional, but the incident happened in October 2017 during an event to honor martyrs in Gorakhpur.

Fact Check: False

Deleted Scenes for K Files?

a Video Clip A man wearing a cap is speaking out against the Indian Army and the central government, and their alleged atrocities on Kashmiris are being circulated as a deleted clip from the film.

A reverse image search on the screengrab of the person speaking gives us a Youtube video Posted on 3 Sept 2019. The user has uploaded a Tiktok video on YouTube. we found one Times of India article Stating dated March 17, 2020 that the shooting, which was to begin that week, has been postponed due to COVID-19. an article in Tribune as outlined That the first schedule of shooting started in December 2020 in Mussoorie.

Fact Check: False

Attack on Muslim man affected by film?

A clip of a woman repeatedly assaulting a Muslim man on a train, forcing him to fall on his feet and even threatening to kill him has been shared on Facebook with the claim what was affected by this incident The Kashmir Files,

A reverse image search proved otherwise. Our investigation gave us a report good on event by Wire, It was dated October 19, 2021 – five months before the film hit the screens. According to the report, the man was assaulted for allegedly pushing the woman while passing by the coach. The woman was identified as Madhu Sharma, a Hindutva leader linked to controversial seer Yeti Narasimhananda. recently arrested For making inflammatory speeches against Muslims s At a religious conference in Haridwar (he has since been released on bail).

Fact Check: Misleading

Morphed placards used to cheer for the film

A picture of a man is seen holding a placard in his hand, which reads, “Kashmir is not files in movie. This is a wake-up call for Hindus,” is doing the rounds on social media. The image appears to have been taken somewhere outside India.

Using a combination of reverse image and keyword search, we found that the placard was distorted. original photo The statement was: “Stop using group pictures for your dating profile.”

The man shown in the image is Seth Phillips, whose idea of ​​placing cardboard signs featuring scathing comments about a wide range of contemporary issues had struck a chord with the public in America. Forbes,

He regularly posts pictures of his unique form of protest on his Instagram account, namely dudwithsign,

Fact Check: Manipulated Content