The Supreme Court on Friday challenged the West Bengal government to justify its decision to ban the screening of The Kerala Story, asking why it thought itself any different from other demographically similar States across the country which are showing the controversial film.
The film has come under fire from critics who accuse its makers of demonising the entire Muslim community, particularly Muslim youth, with a “malicious propaganda” claim that 32,000 young women in Kerala were lured through so-called ‘love jihad’ and trafficked to West Asia to join the ISIS militant Islamic group.
“The film is running in different parts of the country which have a similar demographic profile as West Bengal. Why should you [West Bengal government] not allow a film to run? This has nothing to do with the artistic value of the film… It may be good art or it may be bad art, but that is irrelevant. If the public don’t find the film worth, they will not watch it,” Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said, addressing the West Bengal government.
