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By Dipaneeta Das: The West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday organised a special screening of Sudipto Sen directorial ‘The Kerala Story’ despite Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led state government ordering an immediate ban on the screening of the controversial film.
The screening was organised at BJP’s Baruipur district office. BJP’s North 24 Parganas district president Falguni Patra, along with the party’s women wing workers, were present at the screening.
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“We opted for a private screening abiding by the state-wide ban on the film. We kept the screening indoors in order to spread awareness and alertness. We do not aim to dishonour anyone,” Patra told reporters after watching the film.
“We have checked the law. People can watch it in private. The movie is being circulated online. Lot of people have sent me links to download from different websites. To make the ban full proof one must ban those websites first,” she said.
Directed by Sudipto Sen, ‘The Kerala Story’ claims how women from Kerala were forced to convert to Islam and sent to Syria to fight for the terror group Islamic State (IS).
The motion picture has been banned in West Bengal and multiplexes in Tamil Nadu have halted its screening, whereas BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana have made it tax-free.
Responding to BJP leader’s remarks, senior TMC leader and Bengal”s Industrial minister Dr Sashi Panja said that the move was against the intent which in the first place made CM Mamata Banerjee impose a ban on the movie.
“One has to understand why ‘The Kerala Story’ was banned. BJP’s agenda has been to promote division on the lines of religion, caste, and further polarisation politics. Their understanding is just to defy what Mamata Banerjee says,” Panja said.
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The TMC leader dared BJP to organised a similar screening BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
She questioned the uproar that erupted during Pathaan, Padmavat, Chhapaak and other such movies. “Why don’t they hold screenings of ‘India: The Modi Question’ even in private? Why don’t they show it in their premises?” she said.
Panja further slammed Patra on her advise to ensure the ban is foolproof. “It is for the administration to think, not her’s,” Panja retorted noting BJP’s “selective preferences” for films.
(With inputs from Prasenjit Saha)
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