"I watched the film Kashmir Files yesterday," Soham said as he joined his friends at the college cafeteria. They had a 30-minute break before the next class.

"Heard it’s an unsettling movie," Ashwin said, "My cousin saw it last month."  

"I've also seen the movie. It was quite a moving experience,” said Shyam.

"How?" - Shivan enquired.

 "It is the story of Kashmiri Hindus over past 3 decades" Shyam added, "Unlike other movies, that generally have an imagined story, villain-hero engagement and closure where good triumph over bad, The Kashmir Files is not imagined, dialogues are not fictitious, it is about disengagement, and there is no closure."

"That’s a grim movie" - commented Reena, from across the next table.

"While technical aspects and acting are good, it is the truth of incidents that compels attention," said Shyam.

"Have heard it is like the film Schindlers' List, which is also based on real incidents!" - commented Swapnil who joined them.

"Well, there is a difference. Incidents of Schindlers List are of the past, its villains prosecuted and convicted, that ideology destroyed and closure made. It is not so in Kashmir." Soham said. "The Kashmir Files are of the present." He further elaborated- "Various recorded incidents from the lives of Kashmiri Hindus have been brought together to make the movie plot".
 
"The movie throws up haunting questions that linger for long" Shyam added- "For example, "What is justice?" he paused. "What is truth?"
"Can justice be delivered to those who are tortured and killed?"

He continued- "Will Government and Administration, who are responsible to protect people, be held to account for dereliction of duty?"

Ashwin asked- "How can government and administration be held responsible for crimes committed by people?"

"When there is a systematic crime and the government administration is apathetic, as it was the case in Kashmir, they are responsible!" said Senthil.

"But it was mostly government employees who were victimised, killed or driven out. How can they be blamed for their plight?" asked Shivan.

"The majority who are in the administration and government, who allowed that to happen, are answerable for that" Senthil replied.

"I wonder if the judiciary, which opened its door to a terrorist at midnight and shut its door to Kashmiri Hindus, would ever introspect?"  Soham said.

"Accountability of judiciary is a sore point. Thousands of cases drag for years and many litigants die without seeing justice. A judiciary that mostly follows archaic rules set by colonialists of the 19^th century is not suitable for the 21^st century" Senthil said.

“Judge Neelkanth Ganjoo, who convicted a terrorist in Kashmir was shot dead by terrorists later,” said Soham “That would play in the minds of judges”.

"In the movie, it is said that hope is what drives people. You need not deliver justice, you only need to give them hope that justice will be delivered" Shyam said.

"But that is not given to Kashmiri Hindus, they still cannot hope to return to their homes,”  Senthil said.

“Bitta Karate stated in a TV interview that he killed 20 Kashmiri Hindus. Yet, the Supreme Court of India gave him bail in 2006" Swapnil added, “He was re-arrested only in 2019 after removal of Article 370 and still not convicted for it”.

"A roadside vendor was shot dead last month" Ashwin said, recalling the anguish of the victim's widow on TV, with two small children standing in front of their leaf-thatched mud house in Bihar. "A Kashmiri Hindu government employee was shot dead in his office last week!"

"Will these killings ever stop?" wondered Swapnil “It has been going on for so long!”.

"It has become fashionable now to portray terrorists as ‘rebels fighting injustice’ to excuse their crime" Soham commented "But the movie reminds us that Kashmiri Hindus never picked up the gun"

"That phrase- 'picked up the gun', implying easy picking, is designed to hide the organizing that goes behind it" Senthil said.

"True" agreed Reena "Guns cost money. People who work hard to make a living don't give money to gun dealers".

"In a democratic country, terrorists are called insurgents or Gandhian-with-gun, are invariably funded by vested interests who route funds to gun-runners, mobilize, distribute guns, induce or mislead certain members of target populace to do their bidding, and create a situation that benefits the enemy's interest" Senthil said.

"As it says in the movie if you are up for sale, the market will open," Shyam said.

"East India Company demonstrated it two centuries ago by recruiting Indian sepoys!" Senthil commented, "It was when the sailors of Royal Indian Navy rose against them in 1946, that British left”.

“Do you mean to say Ahimsa of Gandhi and the non-violent independence movement of Congress were not the reasons for India’s independence, as is generally believed?” asked Ashwin.

“So long as the British had Indian sepoys with them, Ahimsa and non-violent agitations were mere time pass” commented Senthil.

"In Kashmir, instigation for genocide came from the western neighbour, but perpetrators were Kashmiris- the people who converted earlier under force, who had same ancestors as Kashmiri Hindus” Shyam said- “Some were even friends, neighbors and former students of the victims!"

"Betrayal of own countrymen based on the instigation of others is the saddest of all!" exclaimed Shivan.

Swapnil recollected a conversation with his elder sister- a research scholar, at JNU- "You know, here is an interesting fact, the lingering Kashmir issue is legacy of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who took it to UN, and Sheikh Abdullah, both of Kashmiri ancestry".

"Indeed, both perpetrators and victims of Kashmir have similar lineage, like asuras and devas- the children of Rishi Kashyap, after whom Kashmir is named!" Soham observed.

"Asurik nature is to inflict unspeakable cruelty and daivik nature, to remain benevolent, yet, it is peculiar that these divergent characters have the same father!" remarked Reena

Viniti who was silent so far, said- "There are many people who have called the movie a lie".

Shyam nodded, "People who did so include a Kak, Kaul, Khanna and Chopra. The irony is that people with such these surnames were among those driven out from Kashmir and West Punjab by similar perpetrators."

"Likewise, the people driven out of Malabar in 1921 includes the surname Menon. Yet, a University Professor with that surname supports the agenda of Kashmiri terrorists. What makes them do this?" asked Senthil.

"A character in this movie, Professor Radhika Menon, is depicted on that University teacher!" commented Shyam.

 "If Rishi Kashyap's children could have asurik character, is it any surprise to see children of Kak, Kaul, Khanna and Menon having it" remarked Soham.

"Does it mean genetic transmission of character does not exist?" said Viniti.

"While physical features may be transmitted, character and mental capabilities may not be necessarily.” Soham said.

“That’s a contentious view. You are essentially discounting the effect of genetics!” said Ashwin.

“Well, race theories were proven false in the last century itself. Human character can be structured and channelised in different ways" said Soham, and added-"In Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna states that humans can be considered to be of four types based on guna- which is inherent nature/orientation, and karma- which is action/occupation. The four types are- knowledge spreaders/scholars, protectors, producers, and their helpers. Engaging in occupations suited to their varna helps a person advance in life. It is the varnashrama system".

"Was it not discriminatory?" enquired Shivan.

"Are occupations of a university professor, policeman, industrialist, and helpers discriminatory?" asked Soham. "Of course, a professor may get more respect, policemen may be more feared, industrialist may be more wealthy and helper is most sought after in society today. But we don't view that as discriminatory".

"It is discriminatory if you insist that helper's son cannot become a professor or policeman because of his birth," Senthil said.

"True, such was not the case in Varna system," said Shyam.

"How do you say that, because the caste system is based on birth," said Senthil.

"That is because, the caste system was created by the colonialist British in 1800s based on their feudal experience, from the remnants of varna system" said Swapnil, recalling a conversation with his sister. "Iranian historian Al Beruni visited Bharat a thousand years ago and recorded about varna system. As translated by historian AL Basham, he stated about people of different varnas that- 'Much as they differ from each other, they live together in the same towns and villages, mixed together in the same houses and lodgings'.”

“Over the next millennium after Al Beruni's visit, however, relentless assault by Islamic invaders and Christian colonialists destroyed the fabric of this society. Varna system was destroyed. The centres of knowledge, administrative control, industry, families and traditions, were all disrupted or destroyed and millions of people were killed or taken as slaves or starved to death. On the ruins of this society, the British conducted a census in 1871 and classified people based on birth, which was in line with colonialist race theory, but contrary to varna system. British administration thereafter used this birth-based census for governance".

"Do you mean to say that varna system was not based on birth?" asked Senthil.

"That is what Al Beruni saw and recorded. That is what Ramayana and Mahabharata and Puranas show, where there are various instances of people engaging in activities different from that based on birth, including the authors of these texts themselves- Maharshi Valmiki and Maharshi Vyasa. That is also what we see in Bharat at present too when the highest positions in the country are occupied by people elected based on their competence, not based on birth".

“That is thanks to democracy,” said Viniti.

“In my opinion, it has more to do with the ethos of this civilization that values karma over janma,” remarked Soham.

"I wonder, since asuras and devas are diametrically opposite, who among the two should inherit Rishi Kashyap's Kashmir?" asked Shivan. 

"Modern jurisprudence may consider all biological children as equal heirs and cut the land into two" said Ashwin, "But Indic view may be to consider only those who live the values of Rishi Kashyap- whose actions benefit the world, as the heir of Rishi Kashyap and of Kashmir!"

"Those who choose to adopt foreign ideology are at constant strife with those who follow native traditions, and inflict extreme cruelty on their unwary neighbours." Shyam said, “Those who chose not to succumb to this foreign ideology- despite numerous sufferings inflicted on them over a millennium, never picked the gun, never inflicted suffering on anyone, did not victim-monger, did not wallow in persecution complex. They show that life is to be lived without malice, and many of them went on to succeed in various spheres of life."
 

"The lead female role in the movie is named Sharada, after the most revered Devi of Kashmir. The Sharada Devi temple is now in POK, in ruins" Soham said, "The experience of Sharada metaphorically reflects the repeated assaults and torture that Kashmir was subjected to Bhumi made to drink the blood of her kin and divided into two parts".

"The younger son of Sharada, who was brought up by his grandfather Pushkar Nath Pandit, is unaware of bitter experiences his family suffered." Soham continued, "After he learns what happened to his family, he wonders why his grandpa never told him about it. A friend of his grandpa makes a profound statement- ‘broken people do not speak, they must be heard’."

“But I have a different view on that” Shyam said, “Pushkar Nath Pandit could have converted and saved his family and property, like many of his neighbours did. But despite all the suffering, he did not let go of what his tormentors wanted him to let go- his heritage. He did not break."

"Broken people are those who succumb to external pressure and give up their invaluable heritage and truth" Shyam continued "On the other hand, those who persevere, despite deprivation and destitution, are Unbroken People".

"That's a different perspective!" noted Reena.

"Broken people cannot tolerate the unbroken" remarked Senthil. "Because the unbroken people’s existence constantly declares the truth, and challenges the choices of the broken”.

"Thousand years back in Arabia, Mansur-al-Hallaj declared- An-al-haq, which means 'I am truth'. He was hung to death for that" commented Shyam.

"Those who vocalized such realized statements in the West were invariably silenced by each of the three Abrahamic religions, for example, Jesus of Nazareth, Joan of Arc, Mansur-al-Hallaj," said Swapnil.

"In Bharat, on the other hand, it is stated in Vedas, explained by Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita, and experienced by millions, Adi Shankaracharya proclaimed it loudly from Sharada peeth of Kashmir- Aham Brahmasmi- I am truth," Soham said.

"There is an interesting story about Adi Shankaracharya, he had a debate with Mandanamishra in which victor was decided on the basis of whose flower garland remained fresh"  Ashwin said.

"A culture that sustains the Nature's garland of diverse living beings, ideologies and thoughts, and keeps it fresh; that culture of Bharat is of Kashmir of Rishi Kashyap" concluded Shyam,
"Unbroken are the people who retain it".

Soham looked at his watch and summed up "This movie is about a son of Sharada who was broken by his University Professor, but later realized the truth and returned Unbroken".

"Many in this country brought up under western education system may have such experience" observed Reena.

"The most popular text Ramayana is authored by a person who once was a broken man, later he realized his truth to become Maharshi Valmiki," said Shyam.

"So Bharat is a land of possibilities for being Unbroken" Ashwin smiled.

"Life is an interplay of purusha and prakriti. Male and female are integral components of it, like day and night are of Time. So Indic deities are worshipped along with Shakthi, such as MahaVishnu- Maha Lakshmi, Mahadev-Maheswari” Swapnil recalled the words of his grandpa, "Cleaving the integral divinity to demand sole worship of male alone skews the mind of certain people to view the female as inferior or a consumable."

"For a millennium they have tried to destroy Kashmir- a daughter of Himavan” Shyam said as he got up, “They wanted Kashmir ‘Bata ros ta batanev san’, which means 'with Kashmiri Hindu women, without their men-folk'.  They cut Kashmir bhumi into two and did a seventh genocide. Yet, lakhs of Kashmiri Hindus still refuse to succumb, and preserve their true heritage, they revere Devi Sharada- Devi Girija, in her whole form”.

Soham agreed, his voice was heavy as he said it- "The Kashmir Files is the truth of these Unbroken People".  

Acknowledgment: To Director Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri and all Unbroken people.

Image source: BBC