E-Paper
Prepare to fight against dynastic politics: PM Modi to BJP lawmakers
PM Narendra Modi endorsed ‘The Kashmir Files’, the recent movie based on the Kashmiri Pandit exodus from the valley in 1990, saying there is an effort underway to prevent the truth from being told.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi endorsed Kashmir Files, the recent movie based on the Kashmiri Pandit exodus from the valley in 1990, and said it is it is incumbent on those who fight for the truth to ensure all efforts to present history in the right context are supported.
Modi was speaking to BJP lawmakers as he does on most Tuesdays when Parliament is in session. He also asked the lawmakers to prepare for a fight against dynastic politics across the country and against the conspiracy of a “certain ecosystem” to bury truths that they do not want disclosed.
Referring to the controversy over Kashmir Files, Modi said there is an effort underway to prevent the truth from being told.
“History has to be presented in the right context. Just as books, poetry and literature play a role in this, films can do so too. Post Indian independence we were hearing about Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela but not so much about Mahatma Gandhi. Had someone made the effort to make a film on Gandhi and presented it to the world, the message may have been delivered,” he said.
Also Read | 'Conspiracy to discredit Kashmir Files', PM Modi slams 'Jamaat' slamming movie
Modi said it took a film made by a foreigner to introduce Gandhi to the world. “For the first time a foreigner made a film on Gandhi and even won an award for it, that is when the world got to know how great Gandhi was. Some people speak about freedom of expression, but no film was made on Emergency, because there was continuous effort to bury the truth,” he said, referring to Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi, which won eight Academy Awards, including for best picture, actor, and director.
Lashing out at those who he claimed have made sustained efforts to bury facts that do not suit their narrative, Modi said the government’s intent to mark August 14 (the day of partition) as Partition Horrors Remembrance Day, was also criticised by the same people.
“Some people had issues with that...but how can the country forget that day? By (marking the day) doing so we would have been able to learn about it. Has a film been made on the Partition? You must have heard about the discussion about the Kashmir Files, those who carry around the flag of freedom of expression, that whole bunch is rattled for the last few days,” he said.
He added that Instead of assessing the film on the basis of facts and truth, a campaign is underway to discredit it. “The whole ecosystem opposes anyone who tries to show the truth. They only try to project what they want to see as truth; the conspiracy for the last few days is to ensure that no one sees the truth. My issue is not about a film, but about bringing the truth in its correct form and placing it before the country. There can be many aspects of truth and different views, those who think it is not correct can make their own film, but they are shocked that the truth that they tried to suppress is now coming out with the backing of facts and efforts.”
On the issue of fighting dynastic politics, Modi said not giving tickets to kin of BJP leaders was his decision. “Agar yeh paap hai to maine yeh paap kiya hai...” (if this is a sin, then it’s my sin).
The Prime Minister said he has been steadfast in his decision to not allow dynastic politics in the BJP. He said, initially, some people were unhappy with his decision but that as time has passed, they have come around to contributing their might to the party, and that this is a good development.
Modi claimed the result of the latest round of assembly elections would have an impact on the future elections -- but asked the lawmakers to focus on the work at hand. He asked each of them to identify at least 100 booths in their Lok Sabha constituency where the party has relatively fewer votes. “You may have won, but got fewer votes there, so, find out the reason why this happened,” he said.
The lawmakers also paid tribute to Lata Mangeshkar, Naveen Shekharappa Gyandagoudar, the Indian student who died in Ukriane, and Harsha, the Bajrang Dal activist who was killed in Karnataka.
