‘Don’t become propaganda machine for BJP’: CM Pinarayi Vijayan asks Doordarshan not to air ’The Kerala Story’

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has denounced Doordarshan's decision to telecast "The Kerala Story" and has asked the public broadcaster to withdraw from screening the controversial movie.

A political controversy has erupted surrounding the film 'The Kerala Story,' released last year. The film received acclaim from right-wing groups, including several cabinet members of the Modi government. 

The screening of the film on Doordarshan TV, scheduled on Friday, April 5, has sparked a heated political dispute between left and right-wing groups.

The CM believes that the movie would only "exacerbate communal tensions" ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Voting is scheduled to be held in a single phase on April 26 in Kerala.

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Besides, CM Vijayan has asked the DD not to become a "propaganda machine" for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP and the Rashtriya Sayamsewak Sangh (RSS).

"Kerala will remain steadfast in opposing such malicious attempts to sow hatred," Vijayan said.

Kerala opposition leader V D Satheesan wrote on the X platfrom, “The strategy of the Sangh Parivar administration led by Modi is to create division within secular society by screening the film 'The Kerala Story', which is a collection of untruth… The politics of division cannot be used in Kerala”.

Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala also said that the move to screen 'The Kerala Story' on Doordarshan, "creates division in society".

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The CPI (M), the ruling party in Kerala alleged that the BJP decided to screen the controversial movie as the general elections are nearing.

Last year, Kerala High Court refused to stay the release of the film, stating that the movie trailer does not contain anything offensive to any particular community as a whole. PM Modi endorsed viewing the film during a state election rally.  Besides, three BJP-ruled states made tickets to see the film tax-free and held mass screenings.

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The movie's trailer was severely criticised and challenged before the court for "falsely" claiming that 32,000 women from Kerala got converted and radicalised and were deployed in terror missions both in India and across the world. 

Currently, Adah Sharma starrer 'The Kerala Story' is streaming on ZEE5 OTT platform. Directed by Sudipto Sen, the film grossed more than ₹200 crore in Indian market.