On May 9th, it was reported that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of Uttar Pradesh had declared that the film ‘The Kerala Story’ would be exempt from taxes in the state. The decision by Adityanath to exempt the film from taxes is significant, as it indicates support for the film’s message and content.
This decision was made a day after the Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal banned the film due to its controversial content. The film depicts the story of a group of women from Kerala who are coerced into converting to Islam and joining the terrorist organization ISIS. Uttar Pradesh is the second state ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party to grant tax exemption to ‘The Kerala Story’, following Madhya Pradesh. The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, had previously announced on May 7th that the film would be exempt from taxes in his state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also praised the film during a rally in Karnataka.
Chouhan had stated that the film raises awareness about the issue of forced religious conversions, and that it should be watched by everyone. ‘The Kerala Story’, which stars Adah Sharma, Yogita Bihani, Siddhi Idnani, and Sonia Balani, was released nationwide on May 5th and is directed by Sudipto Sen.
On May 8th, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had banned the film in her state to prevent any incidents of hatred and violence. The film’s content had been deemed controversial and potentially divisive by some.