Kerala CM Vijayan questions screening of 'The Kerala Story' for church youth wing members

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday reacted sharply to reports that the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church's Idukki diocese had shown the controversial film "The Kerala Story" to its youth wing.

Interacting with media at Kollam, he warned minority communities in the state not to fall into the "trap" of the Sangh Parivar forces.

When it was pointed out that the Tamaraserry diocese of the same church was also going forward to screen the film to its youth wing, Vijayan said: "The 'Kerala Story' is a film which propagates absolute lies...where did such a thing as shown in the film take place in our state? This is nothing but portraying our state in a poor light."

"All should understand that the RSS-led Sangh Parivar is not just against the Muslim community alone, but also the Christian community too and not to mention the Communists. This is a replica of what Hitler did when he targeted the Jews and the Bolsheviks (Communists). The RSS is now following what Hitler did and none should fall into the trap which they have set," he added.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Tamaraserry diocese said they do not think there was anything wrong with screening the film.

"The film has been cleared to be screened. We have had problems too and due to our repeated interventions, they have been able to take their people in the right direction. The Idukki diocese did the right thing to screen the film among the youth," spokesman Fr V. George said, adding that there was nothing political to be seen in what the youth wing of their dioceses did.

However, the Thalaserry diocese of the church said they have no intention to screen the film in their churches.