The Kerala Story
A day after Bengal ban, The Kerala Story announced tax-free in BJP's Uttar Pradesh
A day after West Bengal banned the controversial film The Kerala Story, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh announced it will be "tax-free" in the northern state, media reports said.
"'The Kerala Story' to be made tax free in Uttar Pradesh," tweeted Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday.
'The Kerala Story' उत्तर प्रदेश में टैक्स फ्री की जाएगी।
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) May 9, 2023
Prior to Uttar Pradesh, another BJP-ruled state Madhya Pradesh had announced the film as tax-free.
The Kerala Story, which is directed by Sudipto Sen, depicts the alleged radicalisation and conversion of young Hindu and Christian women to Islam in Kerala and their recruitment into the terrorist organisation Islamic State or ISIS.
The Kerala Story has sparked a political controversy. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has accused the film's makers of promoting the agenda of the Sangh Parivar.
He criticized the film for painting Kerala as a hub of religious extremism and spreading hate propaganda against the state.
After Tamil Nadu, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced the film will be banned in her state.
Speaking to the media, Banerjee said, "West Bengal government has decided to ban the movie The Kerala Story. This is to avoid any incident of hatred and violence, and to maintain peace in the state."
"What is The Kashmir files? it is to humiliate one section. What is The Kerala story?... It is a distorted story," she said.
The film was released after the Madras High Court rejected a petition seeking a ban on the release of the controversial film.
The high court verdict followed a day after the Supreme Court dismissed a series of appeals, including one filed by the Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind, against the movie's release.
The petitioners claim that the film could incite hatred and hostility in society, and the top court directed them to approach the relevant high court.
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