Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has condemned the the screening of controversial movie 'The Kerala Story' by a Catholic diocese in the state, alleging political motive behind the screenings.
Stating that the film's broadcast was incompatible with Kerala's cultural ethos and criticised its politicisation, Vijayan said the telecast of the movie in dioceses aligns with the BJP and the RSS agenda. This comes as Idukki diocese of Syro-Malabar Catholic Church screened the film for class 10-12 students during its summer catechism classes. The diocese has screened the film amidst opposition in the state against broadcasting the film in Doordarshan.
"They say it is a story about Kerala. Where in Kerala did such incidents happen? Blatant lies mixed with fiction has been presented to tarnish the image of the state," Vijayan said. He added that even non-Keralites protested against the film. "It was a film brought out with clear political intentions. Publicising it further suggests there is a political motive behind it," he said.
Condemning the film screening by the Idukki diocese, Vijayan said Kerala is a state of brotherhood and attempts to misrepresent the state has to be opposed. He accused the RSS of categorising individuals as Internal enemies in the country, a concept derived from Hitler's ideology. Vijayan emphasised that the RSS targets minorities, including Muslims and Christians, fostering discord among different sects.
Both, CPI(M) and Congress petitioned with Election Commission against broadcasting the film on DD channel. The diocese said the film was screened to create awareness among students about the dangers of love.
