Vivek Agnihotri says FCC, PCI banned him undemocratically

Turned away by the Foreign Correspondents Club and the Press Club of India The Kashmir Files director Vivek Agnihotri says he has been banned undemocratically and will go ahead with a press conference at a fivestar hotel on ThursdayAgnihotri had posted a video on Tuesday alleging his free speech was banned by the watchdogs of free speech with FCC cancelling his event and announced he would hold his media interaction at the Press Club instead When PCI also appeared to backtrack he followed it up with a tweet on Wednesday slamming the organisationWow PCITweets also cancelled me The watchdogs of democracy and messiah of free speech not only banned me undemocratically but are also lying through their teeth Agnihotri tweeted sharing screenshots of messages of an agency directed to book PCI for the eventThe director then said he will have an open house press conferenceiquest and will answer the toughest questions Inviting all democratic and free speech proTruth believers media people correspondents reporters media activists and those with empathy for Kashmir Genocide victims tomorrow at 330 PM at Le MERIDIEN New Delhi the director said in a WhatsApp message to PTIThe controversy began with Agnihotris video on Tuesday attacking the FCC and alleging that he was a victim of a hate campaign He went on to say he would hold an open house press conference on the same day at an alternate venue the PCI However the PCI said on Twitter it is not facilitating any event on May 5 by any individual or organisation The Club allows press conferences only with advanced booking There is a due process and bookings have to be done through a member of the Club the club saidIn another tweet later in the day the PCI shared screenshots and stated Mr Vivek Agnihotris comments are misleading The said agency may have spoken to our Office Secretary for a booking However the Press Club of India is not in receipt of any application for booking for a press conference on his behalf for any event on May 5 2022Countering the directors claim that they had booked earlier through the agency without any members recommendation the PCI shared a second screenshot and said that the booking for an event on March 15 was cancelled by the said agency even before they could submit a signature and the money was refundedIn his video on Tuesday Agnihotri also said the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora had told him the FCC was very keen to host him Few days back Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora informed me that the Foreign Correspondents Club in New Delhi was very keen to host me for a press conference as many foreign media wanted to talk to me about The Kashmir Files and the truth of the Kashmiri Hindu genocide he saidAccordingly the press conference was scheduled for 7 pm on May 5 at the FCC An executive for Zee Studios the banner behind The Kashmir Files also flew to Delhi and made all the arrangements including the unusual demand to hold cocktails and dinner Agnihotri said To my shock yesterday I received a call from their president saying that event has to be cancelled as some very powerful media has taken strong objection to this conference and have threatened to resign en masse if it is allowed the filmmaker saidAgnihotri said he has since received calls from many democratic Indian and foreign correspondents who wanted the press conference to be held but the club management refused to listen to their demands He alleged that some powerful agenda driven foreign media is part of an antiIndia antitruth and antifree speech conspiracy Im a victim of a hate campaign by the same media which has been falsely blaming India for spreading hate he addedThe FCC South Asia decided to cancel a promotional event and has no further comment said FCC South Asia president Munish GuptaOn Tuesday Agnihotri put out a separate tweet tagging Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and asked for their interventionDear AmitShah ji and HardeepSPuri ji Id like to know what is the purpose of giving prime property to such antiIndia antifree speech Foreign Correspondents Club I am requesting you as a citizen to review their activities purpose and agenda the director wroteBased on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley in 1990 The Kashmir Files was released in March and has grossed over Rs 300 crore worldwideThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever