Centre adopting biased, vengeful attitude towards Kerala: CM
Describing the satyagraha as a fight for survival in an extraordinary situation, the Chief Minister said the Centre has consciously created hurdles to block Kerala’s development.
The National Film Award jury’s decision to honour ‘The Kerala Story’ with two awards, including Best Director for Sudipto Sen, has sparked widespread criticism across Kerala.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said that awarding national honours to ‘The Kerala Story’ was a “flagrant insult to the rich and secular tradition of Indian cinema.”
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Speaking at the Kerala Film Policy Conclave, CM Vijayan said that honouring a film which “insults Kerala’s secular fabric and defames the state” was extremely unfortunate.
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“By honouring a film that spreads blatant misinformation with the clear intent of tarnishing Kerala’s image and sowing seeds of communal hatred, the jury of the National Film Awards has lent legitimacy to a narrative rooted in the divisive ideology of the Sangh Parivar. Kerala—a land that has always stood as a beacon of harmony and resistance against communal forces—has been gravely insulted by this decision. It is not just Malayalis, but everyone who believes in democracy, who must raise their voice in defence of truth and the constitutional values we hold dear,” Vijayan said.
He further added, “This also insults the great cultural heritage of Indian cinema and sends out the message that art should be used to destroy the secularism of our country and replace it with communalism.”
Senior Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, V.D. Satheesan, also criticized the jury’s decision, calling the awards “unacceptable.” He said the film’s sole intention was to spread religious hatred.
“The BJP and Sangh Parivar, who are implementing divisive politics, are trying to gain political advantage by spreading false information about Kerala. This will not succeed,” Satheesan said.
Kerala Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cheriyan also strongly opposed the awards, alleging that the recognition was part of the Sangh Parivar’s political agenda.
“The Sudipto Sen-directed movie divides people, spreads hatred in society, and insults an entire state,” he said.
‘The Kerala Story, directed by Sudipto Sen, won two major awards: Best Director and Best Cinematography (awarded to Prasantanu Mohapatra).
The controversial 2023 release had faced widespread backlash for allegedly misrepresenting facts and portraying Kerala in a communal light.
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