New Delhi: Senior Congress leader K C Venugopal has strongly criticised the decision to confer National Awards on 'The Kerala Story', accusing the BJP-led government of endorsing hate and defaming the state of Kerala.

Calling the film’s recognition a “perfect example” of how the BJP sponsors divisive narratives, Venugopal said the movie “deserves to be in the dustbin” for promoting what he described as a “rotten agenda” that misrepresents Kerala and its people.

“This film winning a national award is the perfect example of how the BJP sponsors and promotes hate from the highest echelons of government,” said Venugopal, who represents Alappuzha in the Lok Sabha.

He further added that Kerala would never accept such an insult from the central government. “The loving, welcoming and brotherly people of Kerala will punish the BJP so hard that they won’t even dream of gaining any acceptance for generations,” he said.

'The Kerala Story', directed by Sudipto Sen, won awards for Best Director and Best Cinematography at the 71st National Film Awards. The film has faced widespread criticism and legal challenges for its controversial depiction of women in Kerala allegedly being forcibly converted and recruited by the terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS).

 

 

PTI inputs