Kerala CM Vijayan hails ‘Empuraan’; Accuses Sangh Parivar of creating 'atmosphere of fear'

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday extended support to the Mohanlal-starrer L2: Empuraan and accused Sangh Parivar of creating an "atmosphere of fear" regarding the stand adopted by its makers against communalism.

In a hard-hitting Facebook post, the Left veteran said the movie has reference to one of the "most brutal genocides the country has ever witnessed". That has angered Sangh Parivar and it's masterminds, he alleged.

The CM came out with the post a day after watching the Prithviraj-directed movie along with his family members at a multiplex theatre here on Saturday evening.

Hailing Empuraan as a movie which propels the Malayalam film industry to new heights, Vijayan said he watched it in the wake of the Sangh Parivar unleashing a widespread hate campaign against the film, its actors and crew.

Not just the ranks but even the leaders of the BJP and RSS are issuing public threats against its makers, he pointed out.

"There have even been reports that the producers are being forced to re-censor and edit the movie under this pressure. This atmosphere of fear created by the Sangh Parivar is a matter of concern," the Chief Minister said.

He further pointed out that it is not good for democracy that communalists are able to destroy a work of art and viciously attack artists simply because they have taken a stand against communalism and portrayed its horrors.

"In a democratic society, the freedom of expression of citizens must be protected. Violent calls to destroy and ban artworks and artists are new manifestations of fascist mindsets. It is a violation of democratic rights," he said.

Stating that the rights to make films, watch, enjoy and evaluate them or agree or disagree with them should not be lost, Vijayan said the united voice of the country, which is rooted in democratic and secular values, must be raised for this.

CM Vijayan's reaction came amidst Sangh Parivar leaders and activists intensified their attack against certain portions of the film and alleged that it was against the interests of the nation.

The Prithviraj-directed film, the second part of the Lucifer movie, a trilogy planned by the Prithviraj-Mohanlal team, has become a topic of hot debate over its critique of right-wing politics and the covert mention of the Gujarat riots.

On Thursday, the day of the movie's release, the Sangh Parivar came out with vehement criticism against the film on social media, while the Congress and a section of the Left platforms celebrated the film for portraying the right-wing politics as "villainous".

L2: Empuraan, which had its worldwide release on Thursday, had 4,500 shows in 746 screens in Kerala alone on the opening day, sources said.