New Delhi, September 5, 2024 (Yes Punjab News)
Filmmaker and author Vivek Agnihotri announced on Thursday that he had declined an invitation from the Oxford Union to participate in a debate on Kashmir, citing the topic as “anti-India.”
In a post shared on his social media platform, X, Agnihotri revealed that he had been invited to debate on the subject of Kashmir but found the theme offensive and against India’s interests. He also shared the invitation and his letter of refusal on his social media account.
In his post, Agnihotri wrote: “I was invited by the prestigious Oxford Union to debate on Kashmir. I found the theme offensive, anti-India, and anti-Kashmir. On principle, I have declined the offer.”
In the letter addressed to the Oxford Union, the filmmaker elaborated on his decision: “Thank you for the invitation to participate in a debate at the Oxford Union. While it is an honor for any opinion-maker to speak at the Oxford Debating Society, I must reflect on the irony of the invitation and respectfully decline after careful consideration.
The topic, ‘This House Believes in the Independent State of Kashmir,’ directly challenges India’s sovereignty and is unacceptable to me. It is not only offensive to 1.4 billion Indians but also a deep insult to the hundreds of thousands of displaced indigenous Hindu victims of the 1990 Kashmir genocide. Framing this issue as a debate trivializes a tragedy where lives have been lost, and the stakes are far too serious to be reduced to a mere argument.”
Agnihotri continued in his letter: “Kashmir’s story is not a subject for debate; it is a narrative filled with suffering, resilience, and the pursuit of peace. To reduce it to a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question on independence ignores the intricate layers of human emotions and historical struggles involved. The genocide of Kashmiri Hindus is not a matter for witty retorts or applause from a debating audience—it’s a tragic chapter paid for in blood.”
Agnihotri sent the letter to the Oxford Union on September 2, sharing his decision publicly on Thursday through his social media channels.
In 2022, Agnihotri gained widespread attention for his film ‘The Kashmir Files’. While the film received significant praise, it also drew criticism. The movie depicts the violence faced by minority communities, particularly Kashmiri Pandits, during the 1990s, when over 700,000 Kashmiri Pandits were forced to flee their homes due to attacks by Pakistan-backed militant groups.
