On Friday, Kerala opposition leader V D Satheesan urged the Election Commission to instruct Doordarshan to cancel its plan to broadcast the controversial film “Kerala Story,” which he described as “extremely malicious.”
In a letter addressed to the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar, Satheesan claimed that the Central government’s decision is a covert attempt to fragment society along religious lines, thereby enhancing the electoral chances of the incumbent BJP.
“It has been learned that Doordarshan has decided to telecast the film “Kerala Story” on April 5, 2024. As you are aware, Kerala Story is a propaganda film based on extremely false premises and attempts to paint a bleak picture of the people of the state. I believe this is part of Sangh Parivaar’s poisonous agenda to divide the country along communal lines,” he mentioned in his letter.
“The decision by the Central Government to telecast the movie via Doordarshan before the Loksabha election is a tacit effort to divide society on religious grounds to further the electoral prospects of the ruling BJP. The decision of Doordarshan is a direct insult to the people of Kerala. It is also in violation of model poll conduct which forbids any effort to divide society on religious lines,” Satheesan stated.
“In light of these contentions, I request your good self to direct Doordarshan to withdraw from its decision to telecast the extremely malicious “Kerala Story” movie,”he stated. Previously, he criticized the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government for this action, asserting, “The screening of ‘The Kerala Story’ on Doordarshan aims at divisiveness.”
“The strategy of the Sangh Parivar administration led by Modi is to create division within secular society by screening the film ‘The Kerala Story’, which is a collection of untruth. Understanding that the politics of division cannot be used in Kerala, Sangh Pariwar using Doordarshan, a central government institution, for political gain cannot be accepted,” he criticized the Centre.
The election for the 543 Lok Sabha seats in the country is set to occur in seven phases, beginning on April 19 and concluding on June 1. The results are scheduled to be announced on June 4. Close to 97 crore voters are eligible to participate in the general election. In Kerala, a southern state, voting is planned to take place in a single phase on April 26.