The Kerala Story: Now, Thamarassery diocese in Kerala to screen controversial movie on April 12

Thamarassery diocese in Kerala to screens controversial movie The Kerala Story to educate youth about 'love jihad' issue.

After the Idukki diocese, now the Thamarassery diocese of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is arranging a screening of the controversial movie The Kerala Story.

The Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM) unit of the Thamarassery diocese has taken the initiative to screen the movie during the vacation classes for students named ‘Suvisheshotsavam’ on April 12 (Saturday).

“We have made the decision to counter the attack on the Idukki diocese by vested interests. There is no point in all the protests against the screening. It is not a banned movie. Also, it is freely available in OTT platforms,” said Father George Vellakkakudiyil, director of KCYM, Diocese of Thamarassery.

Fr. Vellakkakudiyil said the movie will be screened for “educational purposes, as a form of warning to children about some of the dangers out there and to be cautious when they fall in love.”

“We have nothing against Islam. But there is a section of Islamic fundamentalists who support ‘love jihad’, through which unsuspecting girls from other communities are forced to convert into Islam in the name of love,” he said, adding that the definition the media has bestowed on the term ‘love jihad’ was incomplete.

“The aim is not always related to terrorism, but mostly conversion”, he added.

Fr. Vellakkakudiyil said the KCYM had intervened in more than 320 cases that can be categorised as ‘love jihad.’