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By India Today News Desk: Kerala BJP leader Anil K Antony, who switched to the saffron party from the Congress last month, has slammed his former party and the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) for opposing the upcoming film ‘The Kerala Story’.
The Kerala Story, starring Adah Sharma, is in the middle of controversy after the film’s trailer released on April 26. The film claims that 32,000 girls in Kerala were converted to Islam through ‘love jihad’ and taken to Syria.
In a tweet, Anil Antony criticised the CPI(M) and the Congress for “double standards” in supporting free speech.
“#KeralaStory is highlighting some of the societal issues by taking the case of a few young girls and the trials and tribulations they faced. Irony dies a thousand deaths when both @INCKerala and @cpimspeak that were the so called supporters of free speech when a @BBCWorld documentary was launched (in a blatant attempt to subvert the conclusions of the highest court of India and thus weaken our institutional authority) are now clamoring for a ban of this movie. Opposition’s fight for any freedom is subjective to narrow hypocritical political gains (sic),” Anil Antony said.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said ‘The Kerala Story’ was made with the aim of “spreading hatred”. He said the film was a product of the Sangh Parivar “lie factory” and the Sangh Parivar was targeting the elections in Kerala through their “hate propaganda”.
The CM also said that making a film on the theme of ‘love jihad’ allegations, which have been dismissed by various investigative agencies, courts, and even the Union Home Ministry, was part of a planned move.
State Congress leader VD Satheesan also claimed the film spreads misinformation and it should be banned.
On Monday, the Muslim Youth League, the youth wing of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), came up with a challenge to the supporters of The Kerala Story. Youth League State General Secretary PK Firos announced a reward of Rs 1 crore for anyone who could prove the allegations in the film that 32,000 girls were converted to Islam through ‘love jihad’ and taken to Syria.
The Kerala Story, starring Adah Sharma, is written and directed by Sudipto Sen and will be released in theatres on May 5. It is co-written by Suryapal Singh and Vipul Amrutlal Shah.
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