As West Bengal on Monday became the first State to ban the screening of film “The Kerala Story” in the State, the BJP and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s TMC indulged in war of words.
Slamming Mamata for the order to ban the film, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said it was beyond his understanding why the TMC chief’s sympathies were with terror organisations and not with the innocent girls from Kerala. Thakur watched the film at a cinema hall in Delhi.
The film’s producer Vipul Shah said they will take legal action against the ban imposed by the TMC Government.
“To avoid any incident of hatred and violence and to maintain peace in the state, the CM has directed an immediate ban on screening of ‘The Kerala Story’. Action will be taken against any cinema hall that violates the ban,” the West Bengal Government official told PTI.
Earlier in the day, Mamata alleged at a news conference that ‘The Kashmir Files’ was made to humiliate one section of the society whereas ‘The Kerala Story’ was a distorted movie aimed at defaming the southern State.
On Sunday, President of Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners Association M Subramaniam, popularly known as Tiruppur Subramaniam, said a few multiplexes that had screened the film in the state have decided to withdraw it.
Directed by Sudipto Sen, the film depicts how women from Kerala were forced to convert to Islam and recruited by the terror group Islamic State(IS). The film, which was released on May 5, has kicked up a political storm.
“If that’s what she has done, then we will again take legal action. Whatever is possible under the provisions of the law, we will fight that,” Vipul Shah told a press conference in Mumbai when asked to comment on the ban in the TMC-ruled state.
“If a State Government or a private person will try to stop the film, then we will try every legal route possible.” Shah called “The Kerala Story” a film on a “serious social subject” and requested the Tamil Nadu Government to ensure a “smooth and fair” release of the movie. “In Tamil Nadu, one individual has threatened and forced the Government to stop the release,” he said without naming anyone.
Shah said the film has become of national importance now. “Our PM has spoken about this film. Other important political parties have talked about the film and have presented this subject as something of national importance. There are some people who have supported and some have opposed. Now no one can ignore it on the national level, which is a huge achievement for us,” he added. Minister Thakur said the film exposed the sinister nexus of religious conversions. “Mamata has done injustice to the sisters and daughters of West Bengal by banning the film. She should tell whether she is standing with those who promote terrorist ideology or is standing against it,” Thakur, who is the Information and Broadcasting Minister, told reporters.
“It is beyond understanding why their sympathies are with terrorist organisations and not with these innocent girls of Kerala who were victims of terrorism. Today the whole country wants to ask her why she has so much problem with a film focused on terrorism,” the senior BJP leader said.
BJP’s I-T department head Amit Malviya slammed Chief Minister Banerjee for the ban, saying the decision is unfortunate as the movie gives a “real account of victims who have endured the horrors of demographic invasion and have been used as cannon fodder” for the terrorist organisation IS.
“Who is Mamata trying to please with this ban? Does she think Muslims of Bengal relate more to the IS than the Indian Constitution? Shame on her regressive politics.” The West Bengal BJP unit said the ban was a blatant attempt to scuttle “free speech” and appease a section of the minority community to serve its political interests. The TMC dubbed the allegations against the party as “baseless” and accused the BJP of trying to create a “communal narrative” across the country ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“The State Government has already said this film aims to create division in the society. As the BJP has nothing to project in terms of development ahead of the Karnataka assembly polls and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, they are trying to create a communal narrative,” TMC MP Santanu Sen claimed.
The Tamil Nadu BJP unit alleged that the ruling DMK has taken ‘The Kerala Story’ off the screens in the state in a systematic fashion, and blamed the Stalin government for “abuse of power to hide the truth.”
Veteran actor Shabana Azmi said those who want to ban “The Kerala Story” are as “wrong” as those who didn’t want Aamir Khan-starrer “Laal Singh Chaddha” to be released.
In a tweet, Azmi said no one but the Central Board of Film Certification has the right to decide whether or not a film should be released.
The Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association also condemned the ban in West Bengal, saying it’s against the freedom of expression of a filmmaker.
