Stay respectful on Kashmir: Vic minister
Any protests over India's stripping of Kashmir's statehood at Melbourne's Indian Film Festival should be respectful, Victoria's Creative Industries Minister Martin Foley says.
A panel of Indian film luminaries including superstar Shah Rukh Khan were asked by media for their thoughts on the situation, but when the moderator tried to move on from the question, Mr Foley responded.
"We recognise that this is a difficult issue for some in our community," he said.
"If it becomes an issue at the festival we respect people's rights, we respect people's rights to have their voices heard.
"We just ask that it be done in a respectful and democratic and peaceful way."
The Indian government this week revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, cutting off communications and deploying thousands of troops amid fears of a violent reaction.
Kashmir is claimed by both India and Pakistan and rebels have been fighting Indian rule in the portion it administers for decades.
From Thursday, some of India's biggest film stars arrived for the 10th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, the southern hemisphere's largest celebration of Indian cinema.
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will pay a musical tribute to Shah Rukh Khan on Thursday night at an awards night in St Kilda.
Then on Friday he will be honoured by La Trobe University with an honorary degree, a doctor of letters, in recognition of his efforts to support underprivileged children, fight for women's empowerment and his unparalleled achievements in the Indian entertainment industry.
