New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS) Reacting to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s criticism of the film ‘The Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond’, Jammu & Kashmir Leader of Opposition Sunil Kumar Sharma said that if facts are being shown, “nobody should have a problem with that”, intensifying the political debate surrounding the film.

“He (Tharoor) said a lot of hatred has been observed in the Kerala Story 1 film, with many cases of conversion reported, though later some turned out to be false. I haven’t personally seen Kerala 1 or 2… If someone is wrong somewhere, they can be challenged accordingly. If truth is being portrayed, what is the problem with that? The conversions and atrocities that happened there are being shown,” Sharma told IANS.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor had earlier on Thursday criticised the makers of the sequel, alleging that, like the original, it promotes divisive narratives without a factual basis and risks spreading hatred in society.

Speaking on the controversy, Tharoor described the first instalment as a “hate-mongering film” that lacked foundation and disputed claims about large-scale religious conversions, saying the numbers cited were exaggerated.

Reacting to the same, PDP MLA Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi said, “The purpose of these actions, including the way the film industry has been weaponised, is to dehumanise Muslims and portray them negatively in society and in the social narrative.”

On the other hand, BJP spokesperson Pratul Shah Deo criticised Kerala’s political climate, saying, “Whatever is happening in Kerala is deeply shameful. Whether it was the Congress government or the Left Front government, incidents of appeasement, religious conversion, and systematic crimes against Hindu and Christian girls by certain radical Muslim groups have continued for years… reportedly receiving foreign funding, creating disorder in the state.”

Meanwhile, Purnia MP Pappu Yadav questioned the politicisation of cinema, saying, “There is one thing I do not understand. The Kerala Story first, and now The Kerala Story 2. We want to know whether all independent institutions have been taken over for the BJP’s marketing. Will the BJP decide what India’s vision and reflection should be? Will the BJP decide what movies are made? Are films going to be politicised, used to spread hatred, and given a particular narrative…”

The debate over ‘The Kerala Story 2’ reflects wider concerns about the intersection of cinema, politics, and social narratives in India, with leaders from multiple parties weighing in on the potential societal impact of films portraying sensitive religious and cultural issues.

–IANS

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