Bengal Ban On ‘The Kerala Story’ Invites Criticism, Set To Be Challenged In Courts

The ban on screening ‘The Kerala Story’ announced by chief minister Mamata Banerjee Monday (8 May) has invited scathing criticism from the BJP and many others. The ban is also set to be challenged in courts. 

The makers of the film have decided to challenge the ban in the Supreme Court. The film’s producer, Vipul Shah, announced he will move the Supreme Court seeking removal of the ban and also directives to the Tamil Nadu government to provide security to movie halls in that state screening the film.

The Bengal BJP has also decided to approach the Calcutta High Court to challenge the ban. SinghaBahini president Devdutta Majhi also said he will be filing a petition in the Calcutta HC against the ban. 

BJP’s IT Department head Amit Malviya accused Mamata Banerjee of “choosing to stand with radical elements” and practising “regressive politics”. 

Malviya tweeted that Banerjee’s decision is “unfortunate” and “raises questions on civil liberties and freedom of expression” in Bengal. 

“The movie is a real account of victims who have endured the horrors of demographic invasion and have been used as cannon fodder for ISIS, one of the most barbaric forces in the world,” said Malviya. 

The BJP leader pointed out that the threat has been acknowledged by two chief ministers of Kerala: V.S. Achuthanandan (of the CPIM) and Oomen Chandy (of the Congress).

“Does Mamata Banerjee know about the dreaded phenomenon of ‘love jihad’ more than the Catholic Bishops Council, the Syro Malabar Church, the Catechesis Department of the Thamarassery Diocese or the Kerala High Court, who have all spoken out against the evil designs of Islamists luring away young women in a boody trap of death and destruction?” he asked. 

Malviya also asked: “Who is Mamata Banerjee trying to please with this ban? Does she think Muslims of Bengal relate more to ISIS than the Indian Constitution? Shame on her regressive politics”. 

Leader of Opposition, Suvendu Adhikary, noted the film is about “religious indoctrination in Kerala focusing on how women are radicalised by extremist religious clerics”. The movie, he said, is against ISIS and its modus operandi. “Does Mamata Banerjee sympathise with ISIS?” he asked. 

SinghaBahini president Devdutt Majhi, who is set to challenge the ban in the Calcutta High court, said that Bengal has one of the highest love jihad victims in India. He accused Trinamool leaders and police of being hand-in-glove with ‘love jihadis’. 

Majhi, who is also associated with the BJP, reminded Mamata Banerjee of the horrific plight of Sushmita Banerjee who was converted to Islam by her lover Janbaz Khan and taken away to Afghanistan where she was raped by her husband’s friends and Talibani terrorists before being killed in September 2013 (the Bollywood movie Escape From Taliban is based on her life). 

Vivek Agnihotri sends legal notice to Banerjee

Meanwhile, the makers of The Kashmir Files--Vivek Agnihotri, Abhishek Agarwal and Pallavi Joshi--have sent a legal notice to Mamata Banerjee (see this tweet by Agnihotri) for calling the movie on the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits a “conspiracy” and “fiction”.  

Agnihotri, in a video recording that he posted on his Twitter handle, explained: “I have been silent all this while as politicians, journalists and others have been slandering The Kashmir Files as propaganda. But now I think enough is enough. Whosoever says now that the film is a propaganda has to prove which shot, or frame, dialogue, scene or facts in the movie are wrong or fictitious. Or we will take very strict legal action against such people”. 

Agnihotri referred to Mamata’s press meet Monday where she said that The Kashmir Files is a propaganda movie.

“She alleged that the BJP sponsored me and funded me for making The Kashmir Files. This is very defamatory and impacts my livelihood, and is a complete lie and totally baseless made with a political motive by Mamata Banerjee to appease her vote bank. So we have decided to take legal action against her. We have sent a legal notice to her today (Tuesday, May 9) and asked her to explain the basis of her allegations”.