Rajiv Gandhi gheraoed Parliament to protest exodus of Kashmiri Pandits: Congress

The issue of Kashmiri Pandits has flared up since the release of the film 'The Kashmir Files'. The Congress has since been targeted by the BJP and its supporters for the plight of the Kashmiri Pandits, but the Congress has counter attacked the BJP citing facts and saying that it can't hide its failure under the garb of a film.

The party’s Chief Minister in Chhattisgarh was quick to respond to the issue. He watched the film and said that it is based on half-truths and the BJP is making an issue out of it.

The Congress has rejected the charge that it is ambiguous on the issue of Kashmiri Pandits and said that most of the work for the welfare of the Kashmiri Pandits has been done by the Congress and the party is not running away from the issue but shares the grief of the Pandits. The party said that in the PMO led by the first Prime Minister to Indira Gandhi the Kashmiri Pandits were given the utmost importance.

People like Makhan Lal Fotedar till he breathed his last were given importance in any decision taken on the issue of Kashmir by the party. Congress General Secretary Randeep Surjewala said, "It was Rajiv Gandhi, the then LoP, who gheraoed Parliament when the exodus was going on and urged the government that it should help the victims but nobody listened. He was in pain as he has family roots in Kashmir. Who was running the government? -- it was led by VP Singh with the support of the BJP.

The Congress alleged that Modi is raising the issue for political dividends but doing nothing. The issue of Kashmiri Pandits has heated up since the release of the film and after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about it. The Prime Minister said on March 15 that films like this need to be made so that people can know the truth. Modi said that there have been attempts to conceal the truth from the nation for a very long time and films like 'The Kashmir Files' need to be made to bring out the truth before the people.