NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has joined Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in criticizing the BJP-led Centre for its determination to stream ‘The Kerala Story’ on Doordarshan. Tharoor condemned the transfer, labelling it as “propaganda at its cheapest and worst” and accusing it of serving the political pursuits of the ruling occasion. In his assertion on Friday, Tharoor denounced the movie’s portrayal of Kerala, asserting that it presents a false narrative that contradicts the state’s status for social concord and co-existence. He expressed his dismay over the movie being formally circulated by an official broadcaster, describing it as “disgusting.”
Political Storm Over ‘The Kerala Story’
Tharoor, campaigning for re-election in Thiruvananthapuram, emphasised the movie’s misrepresentation of Kerala, stating, “Kerala is a state of social harmony and co-existence. It is not a state that is some sort of a mini-Pakistan, as the film tries to show.” He warned that such propaganda would solely result in a backlash towards the BJP in Kerala and wouldn’t garner admiration or respect nationally.
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#WATCH | On Doordarshan to broadcast the film – ‘Kerala Story’, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor says, “To be honest, it’s really shameful. When the Kerala Story came out, everyone pointed out that this was not the real Kerala story. Kerala is a state of social harmony and… pic.twitter.com/p6hmbhXYH6
— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2024
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BJP-Led Centre Misusing Doordarshan: Tharoor
Tharoor additional criticized the BJP-led Centre for compromising the autonomy of establishments, together with Doordarshan. He argued that the streaming of ‘The Kerala Story’ is a transparent instance of the federal government prioritizing its political pursuits over the autonomy of public broadcasters.
According to Tharoor, “The autonomy of Doordarshan is guaranteed under the Prasar Bharti Act. But, the BJP government does not understand the meaning of autonomy.” He asserted that the choice to broadcast the controversial movie is solely aimed toward serving the political agenda of the ruling occasion.
Kerala CM Slams Doordarshan
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had earlier condemned the choice to stream the movie, warning towards Doordarshan turning into a “propaganda machine” for the BJP-RSS mix. Opposition chief VD Satheesan additionally denounced the movie as a “collection of untruth” and criticized the BJP for utilizing Doordarshan for political positive aspects.
‘The Kerala Story’
Directed by Sudipto Sen, ‘The Kerala Story’ was launched on May 5, 2023, and gained business success. However, it confronted extreme criticism for its portrayal of Kerala and allegations of spreading false claims concerning lacking girls being concerned in terrorism. The movie confronted bans in some states, together with West Bengal.
Elections In Kerala
With Kerala sending 20 members to the Lok Sabha, the state’s political panorama is essential. Voting is scheduled for April 26, with the counting set for June 4. The controversy surrounding ‘The Kerala Story’ provides to the political discourse forward of the elections.
