BJP organises spl screening of ‘The Kerala Story’ in Thiruvananthapuram

KOCHI: Bharatiya Janata Party’s cultural forum ‘Tapasya’ organised a special screening of the film ‘The Kerala Story’ in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram district on Friday. BJP arranged the special screening today morning at 11.20 at Aries Plus Theatre in Thiruvananthapuram.

Censor Board member and state secretary Tapasya, GM Mahesh said that all have the right to expression and added that the movie ‘The Kerala Story’ tells facts so let people of Kerala watch and evaluate. “BJP supporters watched the movie during the special screening. Let Kerala society watch and evaluate the movie. It tells the facts. All have the right to expression and why should people fear this movie”, Mahesh said.

Mahesh further said that there is a planned campaign against the release of this movie. “There is a planned campaign against the release of this movie. In our constitution, fundamental rights and right to expression are important ones. Any person has the right to expression. Cinema is an art in which shows the real issues faced by society”, he said.

Mahesh added, “This movie is talking about love jihad which has been discussed over 20 years and also about forced conversions. The present government tells that there are no conversions happening in the state right now. But earlier VS Achuthanandan and Oommen Chandy governments had spoken based on data that conversion and love jihad took place here.” He further said that three Bishops have already admitted about the conversions happening from the Christain community.

“Three Bishops admitted that conversions are happening from Christain community. This is art and naturally every artist have the right to expression. Let Kerala society watch it and evaluate”, Mahesh said. Adding further, Mahesh said, “The censor board has censored seven parts. LuLu mall cancelled the show after booking. Why is a fear regarding this movie? This movie is an alert. Let all watch the movie and so Tapasya arranged a special screening”, he said.

Earlier, while addressing a rally in poll-bound Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that ‘The Kerala Story’ movie which has sparked controversies is based on a terror conspiracy. The Prime Minister said that the film ‘The Kerala Story’ shows the ugly truth of terrorism and exposes terrorists’ design. He added that the film is based on a terror conspiracy.

“‘The Kerala Story’ film is based on a terror conspiracy. It shows the ugly truth of terrorism and exposes terrorists’ design”, the PM said. He also hit out at the Congress party and said that Congress has shielded terrorism for the vote bank.

“Congress is opposing the film made on terrorism and standing with terror tendencies. Congress has shielded terrorism for the vote bank”, PM Modi said. Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court on Friday refused to issue a stay order on the release of the film ‘The Kerala Story’.

Asserting that secular Kerala society will accept the film for what it is, the High Court today asked petitioners how the movie, which it observed is fiction and not history, would create sectarianism and conflict in the society. “Nothing will happen just because the film is screened. The teaser of the film was released in November. What was offensive in the film? What is wrong in saying that Allah is the only God? The country gives the citizen the right to believe in their religion and God and spread it. What was offensive in the trailer?”, the court observed.

Helmed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the film has triggered a massive political row with various leaders reacting to the upcoming movie. ‘The Kerala Story’ stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Siddhi Idnani and Sonia Balani in the lead roles. The trailer of Sen’s film ‘The Kerala Story’ came under fire as it claimed that 32,000 girls from the state went missing and later joined the terrorist group, ISIS.

Faced with backlash the makers then withdrew the figure and called the movie the story of three women from Kerala, in its trailer description.