National Award for best film on social issues 2020

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 this time. 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 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.”