Adityanath’s announcement came a day after Mamata Banerjee-led government banned the film in West Bengal.
Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday announced that the film ‘The Kerala Story’ has been made tax-free in Uttar Pradesh. After Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh becomes the second state to declare the controversial film ‘tax-free’. Adityanath’s announcement came a day after Mamata Banerjee-led government banned the film in West Bengal.
Reportedly, CM Adityanath could watch the film along with his cabinet colleagues at a special screening to be organised at Lok Bhawan.
‘The Kerala Story’ उत्तर प्रदेश में टैक्स फ्री की जाएगी।
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) May 9, 2023
Recently, UP BJP secretary Raghvendra Mishra had shown the film to 100 girl students in Lucknow. The BJP leader booked a theatre and said the movie should be shown to young girls “to prevent them from love jihad”.
Bengal bans The Kerala Story
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday ordered an immediate ban on the screening of the movie in the state. A senior official said the ban was ordered to avoid “any incident of hatred and violence,” a senior state government official said.
Meanwhile, the film’s producer Vipul Shah said they will take legal action against the ban imposed by the TMC government.
“To avoid any incident of hatred and violence and to maintain peace in the state, the CM has directed an immediate ban on screening of ‘The Kerala Story’. Action will be taken against any cinema hall that violates the ban,” the West Bengal government official told PTI.
‘The Kerala Story’ gets support from PM Modi
The film has received support from the Bharatiya Janata Party with Prime Minister Narendra Modi invoking it during his poll rally in Karnataka.
“The movie ‘The Kerala story’ is trying to expose the consequences of terrorism in a society, especially in a state like Kerala which is beautiful land of hardworking, talented and intellectual people. The Congress party is now trying to ban the film and support the terror elements”, Modi said at a poll rally in Ballari last week.
Real story, Says BJP’s Rani Rudrama after watching ‘The Kerala Story’
Hitting out at the political opposition to the ‘Kerala Story’, BJP leader Rani Rudhrama Reddy said that Congress or Communist parties cannot abandon the truth and should open their eyes and join their hands with BJP to “protect daughters of our nation”.”Congress or communist parties cannot abandon the truth. My request to the Congress, communists and the pseudo-secular parties is to open their eyes and join their hands with BJP to protect our daughters and our nation,” Rani Rudrama told ANI after watching the movie.
The film starring Adah Sharma revolves around a group of women in Kerala who are forced to convert and join ISIS.
