BJP leaders ask theatre owners to remove James for Kashmir Files: DK Shivakumar

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President DK Shivakumar has alleged that BJP leaders reportedly called many theatre owners in Bengaluru to remove Puneeth Rajkumar's James for The Kashmir Files. The Home Minister said it's all rumours.  

In an attempt to corner the ruling BJP government, KPCC chief DK Shivakumar has alleged that many BJP MLAs and ministers had called theater owners to screen The Kashmir Films and remove Puneeth Rajkumar's James.

The allegation comes at a time when Vivek Agnihotri's project The Kashmir Files is creating waves as it deals with the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits at the hands of Islamic fundamentals.

Shivakumar said the BJP leaders are pitching for the film like The Kashmir Files as it suits their agenda and said we have better subjects like killings of Mahatma Gandhi and Indira Gandhi as it is a reality.

Refuting the claims made by Shivakumar, Home Minister Araga Jananedra said, all this is just a rumour as James is not being removed. Cooperation Minister Somashekhar said James and other films will be screened simultaneously.

James is Puneeth Rajkumar's last film and is directed by Chetan Kumar. The central message of the film is one should put country before self, while The Kashmir Files deals with the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990s.

Earlier, fans of Puneeth Rajkumar started to trend #BoycottRRRinKarnataka following the news that in many places, actor Puneeth Rajkumar's last film James will make way for RRR.

The film director Chetan Kumar also took to social media to appeal to theater owners not to remove James. He contended that fans called him to tell them James will be removed. "The first week, fans thronged all theaters to watch Appu's James and usually the families and children come during the second week and hence I appeal to the theater owners to allow James for another week," said Chetan.