‘The Kerala Story’ tax-free in UP; Congress says ‘cheap politics’

With this, UP became the second state in the country to declare the film tax-free after Madhya Pradesh.

The UP government’s decision comes a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a ban on the film in the state, citing a threat to law and order.

The film, which Opposition parties have alleged spreads falsehoods regarding conversion of women to Islam in Kerala and their migration abroad to join the terror outfit ISIS, has also run into trouble in Tamil Nadu where the theatre and multiplex owners’ association withdrew it from multiplexes on Sunday.

Hitting out at the Adityanath government over the move, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said at a press conference in New Delhi, “UP made it (The Kerala Story) tax-free but you are not looking at the all India level as to what is happening to the country. You are not seeing that you are indulging in divisive politics, for cheap political gains. Every right-thinking person in public life should think about that. The BJP does this only for cheap political gains.”

Let public see truth: Deputy CM Maurya

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said the governments in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu should let the public see the “truth” by allowing the screening of the film. Talking to reporters after addressing a public meeting in support of the BJP candidates for the civic body elections, Maurya called the decision to halt the screening of the recently-released film “condemnable”.

“This film is being made tax-free wherever there is a BJP government,” Maurya said.

Also, state BJP secretary Abhijat Mishra, who recently hosted a screening of the film for college girls at a theatre, on Tuesday said those aiming for “Ghazwa-e-Hind” (holy war against India) are being unmasked.