Dozens face arrest in Akola over Kerala Story film row
Dozens face arrest in Akola over Kerala Story film row
The film, set in Kerala, depicts the fictional story of three Indian women joining the Islamic State group
Notwithstanding the successful run of film The Kerala Story, protests continue to cause disturbance in the country.
Recently violence trigerred in Maharashtra’s Akola city over a social media post on the controversial film.
Reportedly, 100 people have courted arrest following the death of one person and injury to eight others in communal clashes.
In a bid to bring the situation under control, authorities cut internet services and imposed a curfew. A female constable was among those who injured in the clashes.
As per Police reports, violence first began on Saturday when members of a community gathered outside a police station in Akola to protest against a social media post about the film.
Reports say it was a screenshot of a conversation amidst two residents shared on Instagram by one of them. Some messages in the chat “hurt the religious sentiments” of the other person.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s office has appealed for peace and instructed the state police to initiate stringent action against those who participated in the violence.
Infact, The Kerala Story, sparked controversy months prior to its release last week.
The film depicts a fictional story of three Indian women from the southern state who join the Islamic State group.
Opposition politicians have criticised the film, calling it propaganda. According to the makers, the film is based on years of research and true events.
Why an Indian film on Islamic State is so controversial
The film has also found support from leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including at least two federal ministers, and was praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an election rally this month.
The government of West Bengal state has banned the film, while two states – Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, both governed by the BJP – have made the film tax-free.
On Sunday, clashes over the film also broke out in a medical college in Jammu district in Indian-administered Kashmir. At least two students were injured in the violence, which was reportedly triggered by a post on the film shared on a student WhatsApp group.
Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti blamed the federal government for the unrest and accused it of encouraging violence “through movies stoking communal fires”.
News input KV Raman
