Make 'The Kerala Story' tax-free in Chhattisgarh, BJP MP urges CM Baghel
May 06, 2023
Durg (Chhattisgarh) [India], May 6 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Saroj Pandey on Saturday urged Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel to declare the film 'The Kerala Story' tax-free in the state.
MP Pandey said that the issues shown in the film have been taking place in Chhattisgarh continuously so it is not only the story of Kerala but also of Bengal, Chhattisgarh and the entire country. She further said that the CM should declare the film tax-free in the state.
"I would like to tell the CM that he should declare this film tax-free in Chhattisgarh. The issues shown in the film have been taking place in Chhattisgarh continuously, be it religious conversion or Love Jihad. Chhattisgarh is sitting on a pile of gunpowder that can explode at any moment. This is not only the story of Kerala but also of Bengal, Chhattisgarh and the entire country", the MP said.
She alleged that the 'poisonous seed' of Love Jihad and ISIS activities, which are flourishing inside the country with the silent support of Congress and leftist culture, has to be stopped from becoming a tree.
"This story will spread awareness among our daughters, to prevent them from conspiracies like love jihad and from falling to tools of terror", she said.
MP Pandey further said that the Congress is in a 'tizzy' over 'The Kerala Story' as it is based on true incidents of love jihad of thousands of Hindu daughters.
"The film brings to the fore the horrific reality of women being forcibly converted and pushed into terrorism", she said.
Earlier today Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the newly released movie 'The Kerala Story' has been made tax-free in the state stating that the movie "exposes the conspiracy of love Jihad, religious conversion and terrorism."
"The Kerala Story exposes the conspiracy of love Jihad, religious conversion and terrorism and brings out its hideous face. The film tells how the daughters get entangled in the trap of love jihad in momentary sentimentality and how they are ruined. The film also exposes the design of terrorism. This film makes us aware," the Chief Minister said in a video posted on his official Twitter handle.
Chouhan said that the film makes people aware of the religious conversions and that everyone including the children should watch the movie.
"We have already made a law against religious conversion in Madhya Pradesh. But the film makes us aware and everyone should watch this film, including the children and daughters. That's why the Madhya Pradesh government is making this film tax-free in the state," he said.
Various political parties have reacted to the film and alleged that it intends to create a communal divide in society.
"The Kerala Story is aimed to create division among the communities. We are not against any movie or drama. But any drama or movie which will create communal tension and division among the various communities should be stopped. That should not be allowed to be screened because that will create problems in society", senior Congress leader and former Leader of Opposition in Kerala Legislative Assembly Ramesh Chennithala alleged.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Opposition party of opposing "The Kerala Story" film, which he said exposed the consequences of terrorism.
"'The Kerala Story' film is based on a terror conspiracy. It shows the ugly truth of terrorism and exposes the design of terrorists", the PM said adding that Congress is standing with terrorists who are trying to ban the film.
"Congress is opposing the film made on terrorism and standing with terror tendencies. Congress has shielded terrorism for the vote bank", PM Modi said.
'The Kerala Story' stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Siddhi Idnani and Sonia Balani in the lead roles. Helmed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah. The movie hit the theatres on May 5 after the Kerala High Court refused to issue a stay order on the release of the film.
The trailer of Sen's film 'The Kerala Story' came under fire as it claimed that 32,000 girls from the state went missing and later joined the terrorist group, ISIS. Faced with backlash the makers then withdrew the figure and called the movie the story of three women from Kerala, in its trailer description.