'Kerala will reject attempts to demonise secular fabric': CM Pinarayi Vijayan slams 'Kerala Story 2'

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday, February 19, issued a strongly worded statement condemning reports about an upcoming sequel to the controversial film 'The Kerala Story 2', describing it as a renewed bid to malign Kerala and stoke communal tensions.

In his statement, Vijayan said the very announcement of a follow-up to 'The Kerala Story' should be treated “with utmost gravity,” asserting that the earlier film had already exposed its “communal agenda and blatant lies.”

“Having already seen through the communal agenda and blatant lies of the first part, Kerala will once again reject this attempt to demonise our secular fabric with contempt,” he said.

The Chief Minister criticised what he described as the selective freedom granted to hate-driven narratives, arguing that such works often pass unchecked even as critical and dissenting art faces censorship.

“It is shocking how fabricated narratives aimed at inciting communal discord receive a free pass, while critical expressions of art get gagged,” he said. “We must stand united against these attempts to paint our land of harmony as a hub of terror. The truth shall always prevail.”

The original film, released in 2023, had sparked nationwide controversy for its exaggerated claims and portrayal of Kerala as a recruitment ground for extremist groups -- assertions widely challenged by journalists, researchers, and government agencies.