Row over "Bengal Files", BJP backs Vivek Agnihotri, TMC refutes

• BJP has backed Vivek Agnihotri’s criticism against TMC as he claimed Bengal has many “mini Kashmirs”
• The Trinamool, on its part, that it was a “political vendetta”
• Kolkata has been adjudged the safest city by the Centre, said Minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday came out in support of Vivek Agnihotri’s criticism against the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in the Assembly after the filmmaker claimed that West Bengal has many “mini Kashmirs”. The Trinamool, on its part, brushed aside the criticism of Agnihotri saying that it was a “political vendetta”.

Taking a leaf from Agnihotri’s book, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari claimed Bengal is becoming another Kashmir. “Anti-national activities are increasing in Bengal. Rohingyas are taking shelter and Mamata Banerjee is supporting it. They are obstructing BSF to perform their work not allowing land to expand their infrastructure. What director Vivek Agnihotri has said that Bengal is the second Kashmir Files is right. We want second Kashmir Files to be made in Bengal,” the BJP MLA said in the House.

Agnihotri wrote and directed ‘The Kashmir Files’, whose fictional storyline is about the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Kashmir Valley in the 1990s. At an event on the topic ‘India’s heritage: From Kashmir to Bengal’ in Kolkata on Sunday, the filmmaker recalled how he was physically targeted at Jadavpur University for his movie, ‘Buddha In A Traffic Jam‘. “There are many mini Kashmirs in Bengal now. Before Bengal becomes Kashmir, I would like to bring the story of Bengal to the public. I want to bring a movie to show how Bengal’s politics has fallen,” the filmmaker said.

Actor Anupam Kher and BJP leaders Swapan Dasgupta and Suvendu Adhikari were the other speakers at the event which was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture. Kher had essayed a major role in Agnihotri’s movie that was released in 2022. On Monday, the TMC dismissed Agnihotri’s claims, refusing to take the comments seriously.

“It’s a bogus comment. Kolkata has been adjudged the safest city by the Centre. Minorities are safe in Kolkata. They are doing this and comparing Kashmir with Bengal, is just a political vendetta. Does a surgical strike happen in Bengal? If they are so keen to make Bengal files, they are most welcome,” TMC Minister Sovandeb Chattopadhyay told the media at the legislative assembly.