Making a move that has triggered the border debate around the world, Doordarshan, the automated service broadcaster, went a step further by airing the heavily discussed film ‘The Kerala Story’ into the public domain on Friday evening. Despite encountering a lot of unfriendly comments from the ruling parties in the state of CPI(M) and Congress, the movie was broadcast at 8 pm, as per a statement from a news agency.
‘The Kerala Story’ is primarily about the heart-breaking story of three girls hailing from the land of Kerala who end up entering into marriages as a result of their Islamic conversion. And after, they are transported to Afghanistan by the terrorist group called ISIS, where they are usually used as soldiers of the organization. Through the film, it is illustrated in detail the agonizing situation experienced by these girls.
Notwithstanding, the running of ‘The Kerala Story’ has been one more issue to be argued alongside. DYFI – the youth organization of the CPI(M) – made a call for a ban on the release of the film. They are screening the video “Kerala Story- True or Fake?” by the popular YouTuber Dhruv Rathee at various spots across the state, and the intent here is to dissolve the misconceptions portrayed in the movie.
Adding to the controversy, the youth Congress organized a protest march to the Doordarshan office in Thiruvananthapuram at around 8:At 3, the protesters praised the decision to do so, the procession aimed to inhibit the screening.
Before the transmission, the CPI(M) and Congress, in unison, brought a written complaint against the DD’s choice of broadcasting the film with the Election Commission of India (ECI). The members of the EC reminded that such a movie may stigmatize the majority of the community while dividing society along religious lines, and as a result, they requested the ECI to stop its screening.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is now the latest to condemn the decision of Doordarshan, telling them to take the movie down from being screened by the public broadcaster. He expressed the fear that the move could do nothing else, but would heighten among the communities, especially before the Lok Sabha polls.
