Anupam Kher Slammed For ‘Hate-Spreading’ Tweets

SRINAGAR: Actor turned political activist Anupam Kher is facing the heat for posting a two decade old picture on his twitter account to defame Kashmiri Muslims.
Kher posted picture of 1998 Wandhama massacre victim on his twitter account to deflect the attention from the mayhem in Kashmir which has claimed 40 civilian lives in paramilitary firing in last five days.
“Here is pic of butchered bodies of Kashmiri Pandits killed by terrorists. No outrage or concern by pseudo liberals,” Kher’s post of July 12 reads.
The picture dates back to 1998 showing bodies of a few young victims of the massacre in which 23 members of Pandits community were killed by unidentified gunmen on January 25, 1998. 
Some users accused Kher of spreading hate on social media on an already sensitive topic and some found it unethical.
“It’s so irresponsible to post these pics, sir. I wonder wat u’d gain if these pics spark violence and 500 innocents are killed,” reacts a user Deepak Bajpai.
“It an act of provoking public for revenge??? Clear your intentions behind posting this picture,” Lazy Cat (@DenNihaSingh) questions Kher.
Some users have still gone further in expressing their anguish against the film actor. “Shame on @AnupamPkher for using an old tragedy to fan hatred and bigotry,” writes another user, Chirpy Says @IndianPrism.
Others requested Kher to revisit the post and possibly delete it. “With due respect sir, this is not the time to post such pics, when house is on fire why add fuel, if possible delete, respects,” reacts Dr Narain Rupani (@DrRupani).
The post was reproduced by many users on Facebook drawing more ire from the saner ones. “You are only helping Kher — is that your intention. The pictures create a rage of hatred against Muslims …. Kher did it, I and you disagree with him. But showing us these images only make matters worse … peace,” reacts a Facebook user Vinod Singh on another user, Shams Kabir.
Maharaj Parimo, a Delhi-based Kashmiri Pandit who is the secretary general, Trade Promotion Council of India, derides Kher rant as: “He has woken up too late to draw a mileage out of it. I admire him as an artist but not for spreading hatred,” he says.
Parimo says the lack of leadership among the Pandits is responsible for all the ills confronting the community. “In fact every Kashmiri Pandit believes he has better leadership qualities than the person sitting next to him,” Parimoo says. “Mr. Kher is, perhaps, taking advantage of this shortcoming among the KP community.”
“Kher believes, as an artist, he has a say and being probably the only one of his stature in the film Industry, he can rule the community by reminding them what KPs have gone through in 1990,” said Parimoo.
Dr Amit Wanchoo who heads a Trust in the name of his grandfather, has been on the forefront of social work in Kashmir extending medical support to the injured, is perplexed at the utterances of the extremist elements trying to further their own ends including Kher. “Extremists on both sides thrive on the theories of divide and hatred,” Dr Wanchoo said. “Both the communities have suffered a lot but we have a silent majority that never speaks.”
Dr Wanchoo’s grandfather, H N Wanchoo, was allegedly killed by militants in 1992. “I decided to fight the hatred through love and compassion,” he said. “There’s nothing better than serving your own people.”
The Trust has ferried over 82 patients in the last six days that included pregnant, sick children, injured and serious patients. “All our fleet of five ambulances is working round the clock in this hour of grief.”
Ajay Raina, Facebook user however, has the last laugh. “We need to raise funds for psychiatric treatment of many Kashmiris similarly afflicted,” a Kashmiri Pandit living in Pennsylvania writes. 
A Kashmiri Pandit body, Kashmir Pandit Sangharsh Samiti, has criticised the government probe into the Wandhama massacre calling it ‘flawed’. 

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