New Delhi [India], May 8 : Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday condemned the West Bengal government for banning 'The Kerala Story' movie in the state, and accused the opposition parties of doing "appeasement and vote bank politics".
"Their (opposition) face is getting exposed. They are doing appeasement and vote bank politics. West Bengal has done immense injustice by banning the movie. Recently only, a girl was raped and murdered in Bengal. Everybody saw how her body was dragged by the police," the Information and Broadcasting Minister told .
"I want to ask what are you (Mamata Banerjee) getting by standing up for such terrorists. What do you get by promoting such an ideology? Such actions provide support to ISIS and other terrorist forces," he added.
He further said that 'The Kerala Story' is an attempt to bring the truth forward in front of the people.
"The Kerala Story is an attempt to bring forward the truth. The movie leaves you stunned. It shows how Indian daughters are trapped in the name of love, and recruited in terror orgsations. The girls are taken showing heaven but are instead sent to hell," the Union Minister said.
Helmed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the film has triggered a massive political row with various leaders reacting to the upcoming movie.
The controversy surrounding the film started when its trailer claimed that 32,000 women from Kerala had gone missing and joined the terrorist group ISIS. This statement triggered a heated political debate and many leaders questioned the veracity of the claim.
"And the makers of the movie have tried to expose this conspiracy. If a terrorist conspiracy like this is taking place in a big state like Kerala. It is the responsibility of everyone to come together in support of this movie, so that not just we are able to defeat such forces," Thakur further said.
Earlier in the day, Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led West Bengal government banned 'The Kerala Story' movie citing "maintenance of peace" and to avoid incidents of "hatred and violence" in the state.
West Bengal has became the first state to ban the film, which narrates the ordeal of three women who are trafficked to ISIS camps after being converted to Islam through marriage.
There's a continuing political outcry around the movie even as it has been made tax-free in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh.
"This to avoid any incident of hatred and violence, to maintain peace in the state," Mamata Banerjee said while addressing a media conference.
"What is 'The Kashmir Files'? it is to humiliate one section. What is 'The Kerala Story'?... It is a distorted story," she added.
Mamata Banerjee said, "What is this 'Kerala files'? I am not supporting CPIM, they are working with BJP. Instead of me, it was their duty to criticise the film. I want to tell Kerala CM that your party is working with BJP and that same party is showing Kerala files - a distorted story. Now I am told they are preparing the Bengal files. First, they defamed Kashmir, then Kerala, and now West Bengal".
The Chief Minister has directed the Chief Secretary to remove the movie from the screens where it is running.
Reacting over the decision, Vipul Shah, the producer of the movie has said they will pursue legal options against the decision.
"If state government won't listen to us we go through legal terms what possible things we should do that but as a legal way," he told .
'The Kerala Story' stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bih, Siddhi Idn and Sonia Bal in the lead roles. Faced with backlash the makers then withdrew the figure and called the movie the story of three women from Kerala, in its trailer description.
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