Vivek Agnihotri’s
film “The Kashmir Files” based on the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus has been
outlawed in Singapore citing concerns over its “potential to cause enmity
between different communities.” The Singapore government issued a statement
Monday saying: “The film will be refused classification for its provocative and
one-sided portrayal of Muslims and the depictions of Hindus being persecuted in
the ongoing conflict in Kashmir.”

The film, when released
in India, saw immense popularity among the right-wing ecosystem, but was
criticised by others for presenting a partisan view of history. The Singapore
government said the representations have the potential to cause animosity
between different communities and “disrupt social cohesion and religious
harmony in our multi-racial and multi-religious society.”

It further said
that the city-state’s film classification guidelines refuse classification to
any material “that is denigrating to racial or religious communities in
Singapore.”

“The Kashmir Files,”
while being lambasted for its partisan view, has found wide viewership in
India. The film was praised by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other
BJP leaders. A hit at the Box Office, Agnihotri’s film has been criticised for
spreading “anti-Muslim sentiment and playing fast and loose with facts.”

Agnihotri, the
film’s director, recently said that there is an international political
campaign against him and his film by foreign media outlets.

Shashi Tharoor,
Congress leader and former Union minister, shared the Singapore government’s statement
and wrote: “Film promoted by India’s ruling party, Kashmir Files, banned in
Singapore.”

Congress
spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said on March 17 that the Indian prime minister
should work on rehabilitating Kashmiri Pandits instead of spreading hate and
division in society.

Opposition leaders
from parties apart from the Congress have also spoken out about the film.
Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo, has
described the film as a conspiracy and said it “was mostly fiction”.

Mehbooba Mufti,
former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, accused the BJP-led Union government
of weaponizing the pain of Kashmiri Pandits.

Arvind Kejriwal,
the Delhi chief minister, criticised BJP’s promotion of the film so staunchly
that BJP workers launched a protest outside Kejriwal’s home.