Political parties, cinema lovers up in arms against Doordarshan's move to telecast 'The Kerala Story'

Doordarshan's decision to broadcast the controversial film 'The Kerala Story' on Friday has met with stiff opposition from various political groups and a section of cine lovers in the state. Congress leader and sitting Congress MP Shashi Tharoor condemned the move and said it was 'utterly shameful' that 'lies are being circulated officially.'

“When 'The Kerala Story' came out, everyone pointed out that it is not the real Kerala story. This is a state of social harmony and co-existence. It is not a mini Pakistan as its makers are trying to show. Yet the lies of the film are being officially circulated and broadcast, which is truly disgusting and shameful,” he said.

The Congress has also approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) against the decision and said it was a 'tacit effort' to divide society on religious grounds to further the electoral prospects of the ruling BJP. The decision of Doordarshan evoked strong protests from both the ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress in Kerala.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan, sent a letter to the Election Commission on Friday, seeking to direct Doordarshan to withdraw from its decision to telecast 'the extremely malicious The Kerala Story movie'.

"As you are aware, 'The Kerala Story' is a propaganda film based on extremely false promises and attempts to paint a bleak picture of the people of the state. I believe this is part of Sangh Parivar's poisonous agenda to divide the country along communal lines," Satheesan said in his letter.

The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the ruling CPI(M) also expressed strong protest on Friday against the decision to telecast the movie and said it would organise a protest march to the Doordarshan office in the state capital.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday condemned Doordarshan's decision and asked the public broadcaster to withdraw from screening the controversial movie, saying it would only 'exacerbate communal tensions' ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Vijayan had asked the national broadcaster not to become a 'propaganda machine' for the BJP and the RSS.

"The decision by @DDNational to broadcast the film 'Kerala Story', which incites polarisation, is highly condemnable. The national news broadcaster should not become a propaganda machine of the BJP-RSS combine and withdraw from screening a film that only seeks to exacerbate communal tensions ahead of the general elections. Kerala will remain steadfast in opposing such malicious attempts to sow hatred," Pinarayi wrote on 'X'.

Meanwhile, a section of cine lovers too expressed their angst against the national broadcaster's decision. “I have so many childhood memories associated with Doordarshan. It is sad it has become a tool under the hands of the BJP,” one X user wrote.

(With PTI inputs)