Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress party on Saturday accused the BJP of showing intolerance towards the Mohanlal-starrer 'L2: Empuraan', citing intense criticism on right-wing social media handles.

However, mainstream leaders of the state BJP chose not to openly make adverse remarks against the Prithviraj-directed film, even when the party and Sangh Parivar activists continued to criticise it.

The film, the second part of the 'Lucifer' trilogy planned by the Prithviraj-Mohanlal team, has become a topic of hot debate. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal alleged that the BJP's criticism of the movie was part of the Sangh Parivar's intolerance.

Pointing out recently released movies like 'The Accidental Prime Minister' and 'Emergency,' he said such films were critical of the Congress Party, but the BJP welcomed all of them. Venugopal said he does not want to comment on the content of the movies but made it clear that movies always discuss current politics.

"That will be favourable for a section and against some others. These are all part of freedom of expression. The BJP should introspect whether it is right to show intolerance only when they are criticised," he told reporters in front of the Secretariat here.

Venugopal further said the present uproar against the movie should be seen in the context of the recent Supreme Court verdict quashing an FIR lodged by the Gujarat Police against Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi for allegedly posting an edited video of a provocative song.

The Congress leader recalled the apex court's observation that even if a large number of persons dislike the views expressed by another, the right of the person to express the views must be respected and protected. "I am neither a promoter nor an opponent of the movie. But, I don't agree with the stance of praising those who speak in their favour and criticising those who do not," the Lok Sabha MP added.

Senior CPM leader and state General Education Minister V Sivankutty came out against the reported move to re-sensor the film.  He claimed that the Gujarat riot and the Godhra incident were part of Indian history and generations would see and know about it, whatever scissors have been used to cut it.

"Freedom of expression is the cornerstone of democracy. Any action to prevent it should be opposed," he said. When his reaction was sought to the intense criticism being faced by the film from party activists, senior BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian said he is yet to watch the movie but would surely see it.

He said senior party leader M T Ramesh had already made it clear that a cinema should be seen as a cinema and BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has endorsed that stand. "I will surely watch the movie. What is wrong in watching a movie?" he asked.

The minister further said that the film would pave the way for a house-to-house discussion about the BJP in the state, which would help the party to rise as a "superstar" in the upcoming Assembly election. Kurian also drew a parallel between the rise of superstar Mohanlal and the growth of the BJP in the state.

Mohanlal began his movie career as a villain in the movie 'Manjil Virinja Pookkal' decades ago, he said. "He began from negative...he became a superstar later. Like that, the BJP will also rise as a superstar in the next Assembly elections," he added.

'L2: Empuraan', which was released worldwide on Thursday, had 4,500 shows in 746 screens in Kerala alone on the opening day.