The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) screened controversial Hindi film The Kerala Story at Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi on Tuesday even as the political outrage over the movie continued in the southern state. The film, which is reportedly based on the theme of religious conversion, is scheduled to be released on May 5.
The movie was screened amid a protest called by the Students Federation of India (SFI) on the campus. “SFI-JNU unit condemns and vociferously resists the screening of this propaganda movie which will tarnish the fabric of secular ethos,” the students' outfit had said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain a plea seeking a stay on the release of the movie on grounds that its a "worst kind of hate speech and an audio-visual propaganda”.
“There are varieties of hate speeches. This film has got certification and has been cleared by the board. It's not like a person getting on the podium and starts giving uncontrolled speech. If you want to challenge the release of the movie, you should challenge the certification and through appropriate forum,” the court said.
The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala alleged that the film was "BJP sponsored" and part of the "Sangh Parivar agenda" to divide people and create animosity among them in the state.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Monday that the trailer of the Hindi film, at first glance, appeared to be "deliberately produced" with the alleged aim of creating communal polarisation and spreading hate propaganda against the state.
He said despite the issue of 'love jihad' being rejected by probe agencies, courts and the MHA, it was being raised in connection with Kerala as the main premise of the film only to humiliate the state in front of the world.
The Congress also demanded a ban on the film, saying its intention was to tarnish the image of the state at the international level.
The movie, starring Addah Sharma in the lead role, was directed by Sudipto Sen.
