New Delhi: A group of 46 academics, writers, artists, filmmakers and others have issued a statement against some Christian churches who have screened controversial propaganda film The Kerala Story ahead of the 2024 general elections.
The statement says even though the film has ‘adult’ certification, it is being screened for audiences including children. It is also being screened despite it being said by the government in court and in parliament that the bogey “love jihad”, which movie claims to be about, is not a category the government has defined and no such cases in Kerala are being investigated by the National Investigation Agency.
Screening this film, the signatories say, may create more inter-community divisions.
Read the full statement below.
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It is most unfortunate that a film made as part of a political propaganda and with little concern for ground facts is being screened by a certain section of Christian churches; creating fears of an impending inter community division that too on an issue dismissed by the Central Government as non-existent. The film itself is certified as Adults only (A) by the censor board and we wonder how it is being shown to students in general, as reported in the media.
Answering a question in Lok Sabha, the Ministry of Home Affairs categorically said on 4 February 2020 that “No such Love Jihad has been reported by any of the central agencies”. They went on to add that, “However, two cases from Kerala involving interfaith marriages have been investigated by the National Investigation agency” and added that “The term Love Jihad is not defined under the extant laws”.
We as concerned citizens and inheritors of generations of interfaith-co-existence deplore the issues raised in the said propaganda film and urge Keralites in general to ignore such a build up and generalization over a sensitive community issue raised by a film on which even the Courts have come down heavily regarding the facts . The Christian church known for centuries of social outreach for the welfare of the community in general must not fall prey to such vulgar propaganda which can upset the generations-long community balance and affect peaceful interreligious /interfaith existence.
We request all concerned to stop being a party to such misguided and motivated propaganda in the best interests of the community at large and allow the legal system to take care of any aberrations.
1. K.P. Fabian (Ambassador (rtd))
2.Dr.NJ Kurian (Planning commission. rtd)
3.M.N. Karassery, Writer.
4.Arundhati Roy, Writer
5. Sara Joseph, Writer
6. Shashi Kumar, Asian College of Journalism, Chennai
7. BRP Bhaskar, Sr Journalist.
8. TV Chandran, Filmmaker
9. Kamal, Filmmaker
10. John Dayal -(Former member, National Integration Council, GoI-Former President, All India Catholic Union)
11.AJ Philip -(Ex-Editor Tribune,Vice- President, Kerala Club, New Delhi)
12. Dr.George Mathew, Chairman, Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi
13.Jamal Kochangadi , Sr. Journalist
14.Dr. Sakhi John , Academician, New Delhi
15.John Samuel, Adoor, Activist
16. Tony Joseph-Author
17.R. Rajagopal, editor-at-large, The Telegraph.
18.Dr. Ummar Tharamel, Writer
19.Dr Azad RP, Writer
20.Dr. Khadeeja Mumtaz, Writer,
21.Abul Kalam Azad Pattanam, Photographer
22.E.Santhosh Kumar, Writer,
23.Premchand. Film maker/critic
24.Sheela Tomy, Novelist
25.Sunil Jaliyath, Writer.
26. V K Joseph-Film Critic
27.Paul Zachariah, Writer
28.V K Cherian,Writer/ Media- New Delhi
29.OK Johny , Documentary Filmmaker
30.Venkatesh Ramakrishnan- Sr.Journalist
31.C.S Chandrika, Feminist writer
32.P.K.Sreenivasan, Witer/ Journalist
33.V.R.Sudheesh , Writer
34.Poly Varghese, Hindustani musician
35.Sunny Joseph, Filmmaker.
36.Binu John, Journalist and Author –New Delhi
37.Deepak John Mathew- Professor IIT, Hyderabad
38.Dr Abey Koshy, Prof. Kalady ,Sanskrit University.
39. Dr P J Antony (Principal Secretary -Rtd, Nagaland) New Delhi
40 .Lizy, Novelist
41.V Sasikumar, Writer Documentary filmmaker.
42.Sukumar Muraleedharan, Journalist, New Delhi.
43.Tom Vattakuzhi- Artist.
44. Joshy Joseph, Filmmaker.
45. Roy Thomas, Artist, New Delhi.
46. K.P. Thomas, Artist/ Painter
