Calicut, April 7: The Indian political landscape was rocked by controversy as Doordarshan aired the contentious Bollywood film ‘The Kerala Story’ amidst widespread condemnation and protests from the ruling CPI(M) and Congress in the state. The movie, broadcast at 8 pm on Friday, delves into the harrowing experiences of three girls from Kerala who were allegedly coerced into joining ISIS after converting to Islam and being taken to Afghanistan.
Despite fervent objections, Doordarshan proceeded with the telecast, prompting strong reactions from political entities across Kerala. The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of CPI(M), countered the film’s narrative by screening a video titled ‘The Kerala Story True or Fake?’ created by YouTuber Dhruv Rathee at various locations across the state to debunk its claims.
In response to the broadcast, youth Congress members staged a protest march to the Doordarshan office in Thiruvananthapuram at 8.30 pm in vehement opposition to the airing of the film.
The decision to air ‘The Kerala Story’ drew formal complaints from both the CPI(M) and Congress to the Election Commission of India. They alleged that broadcasting the film could stoke religious polarization within society, urging the electoral body to intervene and halt further screenings. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condemned Doordarshan’s choice, expressing concerns that the film could heighten communal tensions in the lead-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
VD Satheesan, Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala assembly, penned a letter to the Election Commission urging them to direct Doordarshan to retract the decision to broadcast the “malicious” movie, linking it to an alleged agenda by the ruling BJP to sow communal divisions for electoral gains.
CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan questioned the timing of the broadcast, suggesting it could sway voters towards sectarian ideologies during the crucial election period.
On the other side, the BJP defended the film’s premise, arguing that it depicts real events of ISIS recruitment in Kerala. BJP state chief K Surendran accused the Left and Congress of engaging in vote bank politics by opposing the movie.
‘The Kerala Story’ faced prior scrutiny when its trailer claimed that thousands of women from Kerala had been radicalized and deployed in terrorist missions worldwide. The Kerala High Court had declined to block the film’s release, stating that the trailer did not target any specific community.
The airing of ‘The Kerala Story’ has not only sparked political friction but has also reignited debates about the portrayal of sensitive topics in mainstream media and its potential impact on societal harmony.
