K'taka college under fire for asking students to watch "The Kerala Story"

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Slamming the Sri Vijay Mahantesh Ayurvedic Medical College authorities in Ilkal, Bagalkot, for asking students to watch “The Kerala Story” movie, social activist Vinay Srinivas said it was a deliberate attempt by them to spread hatred.

The college had arranged for the screening of the controversial movie free of cost to all Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) female students at Srinivas Talkies in the town between 12 pm to 3 pm on May 23. The move has drawn flack and strong criticism from the public.

“Even after the Supreme Court ordered the movie crew to carry a disclaimer that it is a fictionalized script and the crew admitted that there is no evidence to back the alleged claim in Supreme Court, the move from the college is purely an attempt to spread hatred among the students”. The college management suspended its afternoon classes to allow the students to watch the movie.

“It is very condemnable and the college must educate the students about constitutional values rather than forcing them to watch a movie that was made to deceive the public”, Srinivas said. Directed by Sudipto Sen, the movie claims how women are forcefully converted and recruited by the terrorist organisation Islamic State (IS).

However, several reports point to the contrary in Kerala and the whole country. Meanwhile, it is said the college management withdrew the announcement after facing backlash from the public over the screening of the movie.