Justice Delayed But Delivered bags the national award for best film on social issues

Mumbai (Maharashtra): The winners of the National Film Awards for the year 2020 were announced on July 23 which showed the limelight being shed on many independent films. Kamakhya Narayan Singh, who directed the film ‘Justice Delayed but Delivered’ was conferred with the national award for best film on social issues.

Talking about his experience with making the documentary, the filmmaker said, “It was around 10 years ago when I got to know about the victims of Article 35A. In 2016 I made my first documentary on these victims and that's when I saw Radhika Gill for the first time. Whenever I would talk to her, I could sense that she wasn't able to reach her goals in life due to Article 35A and I was right. I followed her and kept covering her activities. Since she belonged to the Valmiki community which was brought to J&K in 1957 from Punjab to do the job of sweepers in Jammu, they were not granted the PRC.  Thanks to Article 35A that without a PRC a person in J&K practically was denied all the rights. Despite being a citizen of India and despite being qualified Radhika was not allowed to join the BSF because she didn't have the PRC. I wanted her voice to reach the people.”

He further added, “When Article 370 was amended and Article 35A was abolished there was joy and happiness in the Valmiki community just like all the other communities which suffered due to this draconian law in J&K. I already had clippings when these laws were effective. Hence, I made this documentary with the post 370 and 35A scenarios.”

About the film:

‘Justice delayed but delivered’ is the story of Radhika Gill and lakhs of other victims of Article 35A in the state of Jammu Kashmir. Radhika is a Valmiki girl, belonging to the Scheduled Caste, a Dalit. Her family along with hundreds of others was brought from Punjab to Jammu Kashmir to work as a sweeper in Jammu city. Radhika is the fourth generation in Jammu and her father has worked hard to educate Radhika, so that she has better options in life, than becoming a sweeper. With dreams to make it big, Radhika works hard and clears the entrance test to join Border Security Force. But, in this process, she is told that she does not have the Permanent Resident Certificate of J&K and hence she cannot join the BSF. The rule provided that all the Dalit Valmikis can take up only one govt job, the job of a sweeper. Radhika’s struggle takes us to another ugly side of Article 35A, the discrimination against women.

We see the story of Rashmi Sharma, a PRC holder, unfortunately, married to a non-PRC holder, and hence is stripped of all her rights. Even her sons are denied basic rights like Central Scholarships for higher education and professional courses.

‘Justice delayed but delivered’ encapsulates the journey of these victims, compelled to live like refugees in their own country, denied rights, and deprived of all privileges. Their predicaments end after seventy years, when Article 370 is amended and Article 35A is deleted from the Constitution of India on 5th August 2019. The journey ends on a happy note when all the victims get Domicile certificates and with that, they get all the rights which they deserved from birth.