As 'The Kerala Story' rakes up a political debate in the state over its factual basis and the issue of freedom of expression, a Muslim lawyer, who remarried his wife recently under SMA for financial security of their daughters, offered Rs 11 lakh for proof of 32 women from Kerala who converted and joined the terror outfit Islamic State (IS).
Advocate and actor C Shukkur, known for his role as a lawyer in the Kunchacko Boban starrer 'Nna Thaan Case Kodu' (Sue me then) and for remarrying his wife under the Special Marriage Act (SMA), said there was no need to show proof of 32,000 women -- as claimed in the movie -- who converted and joined IS, "just 32 is enough".
'The Kerala Story', starring Adah Sharma, is set to be released in cinemas on May 5. Written and directed by Sudipto Sen, the film is portrayed as "unearthing" the events behind "approximately 32,000 women" allegedly going missing in the southern state.
The film falsely claims they converted, got radicalised and were deployed in terror missions in India and the world, according to the ruling CPI(M) and opposition Congress in Kerala.
Skukkur, in a Facebook post, has said, "I am offering 11 lakh rupees to those who publish information such as names and addresses of women who were converted to Islam and become members of the Islamic State by Muslim youth of Kerala. No need to produce proof for 32,000 women, just 32 is enough." He further said that three women, who married 2 brothers who were Palakkad natives, "are the only reported cases to have joined ISIS from outside the Muslim community from Kerala".
"Everyone should stop blaming a community and a state without any proof about the 'love jihad' case which was dismissed even by the High Court," he said in his post.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday had slammed the makers of the film 'The Kerala Story', saying they were taking up the Sangh Parivar propaganda of projecting the state as a centre of religious extremism by raising the issue of 'love jihad' -- a concept rejected by the courts, probe agencies and the Home Ministry.
Vijayan also said the trailer of the Hindi film, at first glance, appears to be "deliberately produced" with the alleged aim of creating communal polarisation and spreading hate propaganda against the state.
The BJP, on the other hand, questioned how claims of religious terrorism being strong in Kerala can be interpreted as hate propaganda against the state.
BJP state president K Surendran termed as "double standards" the Kerala CM and ruling CPI(M) stand that freedom of speech and expression cannot be a justification for using cinema to spread sectarianism in the state and create divisions.
He contended that the CM and the Left party leaders were not concerned about freedom of expression when it came to plays like 'Kitab' or movies like 'The Kashmir Files'.
A few days ago, both the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala and the opposition Congress had hit out at the controversial upcoming movie 'The Kerala Story', saying freedom of expression was not a licence to spew venom in society, and the film was an attempt to destroy the communal harmony of the state.
The Congress had urged the government not to give permission to screen the controversial movie as it aimed to create "communal divisions in society through false claims".
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