Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 20 (PTI) MSF, the student wing of Congress ally IUML, on Friday called for boycotting the ‘Kerala Story 2’, but questioned a ‘beef fest’ being organised by the SFI to protest against the film.
C K Najaf, the state general secretary of the Muslim Students Federation (MSF), opposed the event and said, in a Facebook post, that it might hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.
The district committee of the Students Federation of India (SFI), the CPI(M)’s student outifit, is holding the fest at the Manaveeyam Veedhi here at 6pm, its state president M Sivaprasad said.
Questioning the same, Najaf claimed that holding such an event might hurt sentiments of Hindus who are not pro-RSS, but do not eat beef for religious or personal reasons.
“We should respect those in the Hindu community who do not eat beef. It is also unacceptable to hurt the sentiments of ordinary Hindu believers to confront the RSS,” he said in his post.
The issue assumes importance as there is a scene, according to trailers, in the upcoming movie ‘Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond’ where a character is force-fed beef.
It is in protest against this that the SFI is holding the beef fest.
Najaf contended that by holding such a fest the sentiments of Hindus for whom beef is forbidden should not be hurt as not all believers are RSS.
“It is not right to create the impression that all believers are communalists,” he contended further.
Just as the beef ban is a violation of human rights, putting people in a situation where they are forced to eat beef is also a violation of human rights, Najaf said.
Speaking to PTI over the phone, Najaf said that he only meant to point out that Hindus who do not participate in the fest as they do not eat beef, might be branded as pro-RSS.
He also said that there were many other ways to constructively protest against the movie without holding such a fest which could hurt religious sentiments of a section of society.
“Malayalis do not tell anyone not to eat beef. Similarly, they do not force anyone to eat beef. If there is a Hindu believer who believes that eating beef is forbidden, his faith should be protected. If there are vegetarians, that too should be respected,” he said in his post.
He said that there is no situation in Kerala currently to organize a beef fest to counter the alleged communal-fascism of the RSS.
He further said that if a Muslim believer does not eat pork, there is no compulsion that no one should eat it.
“But if a pork fest is held and celebrated, there is anti-religion in it. All faiths should be treated with respect,” he said in his post.
The MSF general secretary further said that any film that the government allows can be screened in Kerala and awards can also be given to it, but that does not mean people will watch it.
“We did not oppose ‘The Kerala Story’ because it was an anti-Muslim film. It was opposed because it was a propaganda film against Kerala.
“I do not understand why there is a need to protest against it by holding a beef fest. This kind of protest is not what is needed. What is needed is a constructive resistance. Boycott the Kerala Story 2,” he said.
Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh, the ‘Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond’ is scheduled to be released on February 27.
Its first part, ‘The Kerala Story,’ had won awards for Best Direction and Best Cinematography at the 71st National Film Awards. PTI HMP ROH
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