‘Bengal Files’ row: In the name of films, he is trying to divide people; politically motivated, says Trinamool

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday hit out at filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri saying that the latter was doing a politically motivated propaganda in Kolkata and trying to spread unrest by holding the trailer launch of his film “The Bengal Files”. The ruling party also accused Agnihotri of using cinema to push a political agenda and divide people.

The trailer launch event of the film was however stopped at a five-star hotel in Kolkata on Saturday afternoon by the Kolkata police. The police said that the filmmaker did not have police permission for the trailer launch and no permission was granted for the event. The release of the film trailer has, however, sparked a political row.

The ruling TMC alleged that Agnihotri has been acting like a puppet in the hands of BJP. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said: “Vivek Agnihotri is doing drama. In the name of films, he is trying to divide people. It is a politically motivated propaganda. Why has he not made ‘Gujarat Files’ and shown what happened to Bilkis? Why have ‘UP Files’ or ‘MP Files’ or even ‘Manipur Files’ not been made?”

Ghosh further alleged: “He has come to Bengal to malign Bengal. He should be thrown out of Bengal, but because there is democracy here, he is still here. He would have been thrown out, had he been in other states with a purpose of spreading propaganda.” Further hitting out at Agnihotri, Ghosh said: “How dare he take Satyajit Ray’s name? He is coming to his land and trying to create a divide. Vivek Agnihotri is a puppet of the BJP who is constantly trying to malign Bengal and its people. He should show the development of Bengal that would be a model for the entire nation.”

TMC IT cell chief Debangshu Bhattacharya said: “If any hall does not want to show such content then it’s the decision of the hall. The Trinamool Congress has not asked the hall not to show the trailer.” He further added: “Agnihotri always makes propaganda films ahead of elections. He is now releasing the Bengal Files ahead of elections here. We don’t care about all these.”

Meanwhile, a complaint was filed at Lake Town police station against Agnihotri and producers Pallavi Joshi and Abhishek Agarwal. A case was also filed in the Calcutta High Court demanding the dismissal of the FIR.

Initially, the movie’s trailer was scheduled to be launched in PVR INOX multiplex at Quest Mall. The screening was later shifted to ITC Royal Bengal after the multiplexes refused to go ahead with the screening. Kolkata Police, however, halted the trailer launch at ITC Royal Bengal. “The Bengal Files” reportedly explores communal violence in undivided Bengal during the 1940s, including events like 1946 ‘Direct Action Day’ and the Noakhali riots of 1946, a Hindu genocide.