The recently released film, “The Kerala Story,” directed by Sudipto Sen, has caused a stir across the country. The film, which sheds light on the reality of what has happened in the state of Kerala, popularly known as “God’s own country,” is being shown with tight security measures in place.
From the moment the film was announced, it has been met with controversy. Islamic organizations and Leftists have strongly opposed it, claiming that it is a propaganda movie. They have gone as far as denying that any incidents of the sort depicted in the film have taken place in Kerala.
It is a well-known fact that political parties and their leaders often adjust their stance to suit their interests, especially when it comes to retaining or gaining minority votes. This tactic has been commonly employed by the leaders of the Leftist and Congress parties in Kerala, including those who have served as Chief Ministers.
On July 24th, 2010, the then Chief Minister of Kerala, VS Atchutanandan, made a statement during a press meet, which grabbed national attention. The CM openly criticized the radical outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), which had been involved in terror-related activities across Kerala. Atchutanandan did not hold back and accused the PFI of trying to make Kerala a Muslim state. He even went as far as to claim that their ultimate agenda was to achieve this goal within the next 20 years.
Oommen Chandi, then Congress CM, on June 25th, 2012, made a startling revelation in the assembly. In a report placed on the floor of the house, it was announced that a total of 7,713 individuals had converted to Islam between 2006 and 2012. Of this number, 2,667 were young women, out of which 2,195 were Hindus, while the rest were Christians. This revelation raised many eyebrows and led to heated debates in the assembly and the state as a whole.
The current Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, who belongs to the same party as the former CM VS Achuthanandan, has taken a dual stance on the issue of radical Islamic groups in the state. The CM has faced criticism for his handling of the issue both before and after the release of the controversial film, “The Kerala Story”.
When the Bishop Mar Joseph Kallarangatt of the Pala diocese of the Syro-Malabar Church alleged an increase in “Love Jihad” cases targeting Christian boys and girls in Kerala, the CM defended his government against the allegations. However, in a press conference on September 22, 2022, he made a shocking statement revealing that “100 Malayalees have joined the extremist group ISIS.”
There have been reports beside Government Reports, and cases in the state of Kerala that confirm the existence of a mass conversion factory that aims to trap and lure young non-Muslim women into Islam. According to these reports, Madrasas are mushrooming in the state and are serving as breeding grounds for radical elements and jihadists.
According to a few news portals, the involvement of ISIS in Kerala can be traced back to 2013. Since then, it has been reported that the terror group has been expanding its roots through the Islamic schools run in the state.
The startling stories of young men and women from the state joining ISIS came to light in 2016. It was reported that several young men from Kerala had travelled to Syria to join the extremist group. Additionally, it was found that four young girls from the state had been converted and made to join the terrorist group.
Four young women from Kerala, who had allegedly joined the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP) between 2016 and 2018 along with their husbands, were arrested and detained in Afghanistan. They were later interviewed by Indian investigative agencies in Kabul in 2019, along with their children. The women were identified as Sonia Sebastian, also known as Ayisha; Raffeala; Merrin Jacob, also known as Mariyam; and Nimisha, also known as Fathima Isa. The news of their arrest was confirmed after a video was released on a website in 2020.
The women were allegedly part of a larger group of individuals from Kerala who had joined ISKP. They had traveled to Afghanistan via Iran, with the help of local recruiters. Reports suggest that the women were radicalized through social media and other online platforms, and were motivated by the ideology of the Islamic State.
The threat of Islamic extremism in the Indian state of Kerala has been a growing concern in recent years. The UN released a report in 2020 warning of the significant number of ISIL Indian affiliate operatives in the state. The report also revealed that the al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) operates from Afghanistan with members from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Pakistan.
In response to the UN report, the Indian Home Ministry stated that the report was factually incorrect and that the government had taken necessary action to curb extremist elements. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had filed cases against operatives, and the government was aware of the presence of groups such as LeT, Islamic State and Islamic State(Khorasan).
However, there have been reports of a mass conversion factory operating in the state to lure non-Muslims, particularly young women, into Islam. Investigative reports and cases confirm the existence of this factory and suggest that it is being used as a breeding ground for radical elements.
A sting operation conducted by an English news agency revealed the agenda of the radical Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI). The reporter asked PFI founding member Ahmed Shareef if their aim was to convert India into an Islamic state, to which he responded affirmatively and confessed to how they funded such activities through Hawala transactions. Another PFI office bearer also confessed to converting women from other religions to Islam.
In 2021, a key leader of PFI stated that India should start diplomatic talks with the Taliban and not view them with prejudice. These developments have raised concerns about the growing influence of radical Islamic outfits in Kerala and the need for stronger measures to counter their activities.
Several news agencies have carried out investigations into the funding and teachings of extremist groups in Kerala’s Madrasas. According to some reports, Wahhabism, an extreme radical form of Islam, is being preached in these Madrasas and is being funded by petrodollar-rich countries in the Middle East through the use of Hawala. Furthermore, videos of Zakir Naik, a fugitive Jihadi preacher, are allegedly being screened to students, with the aim of producing more like him and ultimately achieving the goal of establishing an Islamic State.
These findings have caused concern over national security, leading to multiple NIA raids across India. In September 2022, the Government of India responded to this threat by banning the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliated organizations, which operate under different aliases to hide their true identities.
The ban was implemented following a series of NIA raids in various parts of India, which uncovered evidence of the PFI’s involvement in extremist activities and links to terrorism. The organization has been accused of promoting violent jihad and funding terrorist organizations such as ISIS and al-Qaeda.
The PFI has denied these allegations, stating that they are a peaceful organization that promotes social justice and human rights. However, the government’s decision to ban the organization suggests that there is significant evidence to support these accusations.
The ban on the PFI has been met with mixed reactions, with some praising the government’s action to protect national security, while others have criticized the ban as an attack on freedom of expression and association. Nevertheless, the government has maintained that the PFI poses a serious threat to national security and must be dealt with accordingly.
So, no matter how much the naysayers call The Kerala Story a propaganda film, it is based on a reality that is threatening India’s national security.
(Pradeep G is the State Secretary of BJP Tamil Nadu’s IT-DM Cell.)
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