Winston Peters, New Zealand’s former deputy Prime Minister is the latest individual to have come out in support of the controversial film The Kashmir Files. Claiming any obstructions to its release in the island nation would be tantamount to an attack on the freedom guaranteed to every New Zealander. 

Taking to Facebook, the Kiwi politician began his message by talking about the global impact of the Vivek Agnihotri directorial, he wrote, “The ‘Kashmir Files’ has been shown in America, Australia, India and many other locations around the world. To date the film has been viewed by over 1.1 billion people. The film is about true and real events surrounding the 1990 ethnic cleansing of Hindus in Kashmir and today over 400,000 Kashmir Pandits remain in exile after 32 years.”

© Zee Studios

Peters further opined on the alleged restriction to the average New Zealander's freedom, by writing, "To censor this film is tantamount to censoring information or images from the March 15th atrocities in New Zealand, or for that matter removing from public knowledge all images of the attack on 9/11. Mainstream Muslims have both in this country and around the world readily and rightly denounced all forms of terrorism on the basis that committing violence in the name of Islam is not Muslim. Neither should steps taken against Islamophobia mistakenly lead to the shielding of terrorists in the name of Islam."

The former deputy Prime Minister ended his thoughts by penning, “Terrorism in all its forms, no matter what its source, should be exposed and opposed. This attempt at selective censorship would amount to one further attack on the freedom of New Zealanders and people worldwide.” Director Vivek Agnihotri duly thanked him for this expression of support to the film. 

But What’s The Controversy Around ‘The Kashmir Files’ Release In New Zealand?

© ANI

According to claims made by Vivek Agnihotri on Twitter, The New Zealand Censor Board was facing pressure to ban his film ‘The Kashmir Files’. He blamed the influence of ‘"some communal groups" behind this. 

Dear friends,
Some communal and terror sympathiser groups are putting pressure on New Zealand government to ban #TheKashmirFiles. It’s ethically and principally wrong. Pl support #RightToJustice

The Kashmir Files Screening in New Zealand Survey. https://t.co/wTitdcZDFa

He shared a survey link with the caption, “Dear friends, 

Some communal and terror sympathiser groups are putting pressure on New Zealand government to ban #TheKashmirFiles. It’s ethically and principally wrong.  Pl support #RightToJustice”

Based on reports, New Zealand’s chief censor committee hasn’t banned the movie yet. They’re simply reviewing the classification of the film after certain members of the Muslim faith raised their concerns over the depiction of their community. Current Chief Censor David Shanks admitted to certain local Muslims having approached him with doubts over the film’s agenda, claiming the narrative of the film could cause a spike in Islamophobia. He told the local media, “This is a situation where emotions are starting to tick up. [We have] got to engage with that."

Do you think there’s any cause for concern for the New Zealand Censor Board? Will it get banned over there? Let us know in the comments below. 

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