KOZHIKODE : The Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM), the youth wing of the Catholic Church, under the Thamarassery diocese has postponed the screening of the controversial film The Kerala Story, which was scheduled for Saturday.
The decision follows the intervention of the Thamarassery Bishop’s office, and it was decided to screen the film once the general elections are over.
Earlier, the Idukki diocese had screened the movie during the vacation classes for students – ‘Suvisheshotsavam’– ahead of the movie being telecast on Doordarshan. Both Doordarshan and the diocese faced backlash from left parties as the screening was seen as a political gimmick of BJP and RSS during election time. Last week the KCYM unit of the Thamarassery diocese made the announcement to screen the film during the vacation classes for students on Saturday.
“As per the decision taken at the executive body meeting of the Thamarassery diocese of the KCYM on Friday and the instructions from the Bishop’s office, it has been decided to postpone the screening since it is being politicised by some parties and the media. We came forward to express our solidarity with the Idukki diocese. We are screening it for educational purposes and to spread awareness against forceful conversion after love marriages,” said Fr George Vellakkakudiyil, director of KCYM, Thamarassery diocese.
When the youth wing announced the date and time of the screening, the Thamarassery diocese office had clarified that the Church was in no way involved in it and it was the sole initiative of the KCYM. The KCYM office-bearers also claimed that they have come across around 320 cases of girls being forced for conversion after love marriages and they were forcefully separated from their parents and relatives.
“There is ‘love jihad’, which is mostly connected with forceful conversion. We have been dealing with many cases of forceful conversion after love marriages,” said Fr George Vellakkakudiyil.