Key Points

"The National Film Award for 'Kerala Story' is a salute to all the talents who not only exposed the truth of 'Love Jihad' spread by Islamic jihadi elements but also alerted millions of daughters and their families to this horrific reality," Bansal said.

Incidentally for the same film, Prashantanu Mohapatra won the Best Cinematography award too.

Vijayan had said the award for the film 'Kerala Story' is the one to defame Kerala as it is a film filled with lies and one made to spread communal hatred.

"This is against the spirit of secularism and national integration, which was the hallmark of Indian cinema. By giving the award, it clearly shows that the agenda of Sangh Parivar is being upheld. We strongly register our protest, and every Keralaite and all those who believe in democracy have to raise their voice against this injustice," the Chief Minister said on Friday.

However, Bansal said that the decision to give the award has disturbed Vijayan, probably due to his close ties with the Hinduphobic gang of Kerala.

"He is careless about thousands of daughters who went missing, were lured into 'Love Jihad', and forced into terrorism or pushed to death. Instead, he is terming this honour, as an insult to the "great tradition of Indian cinema". The film had brought to light the "anti-women" and "anti-national" heinous acts on the big screen globally," the VHP National Spokesperson added.

He goes on to point out that Vijayan doesn't mind the insult to Kerala's great tradition when a gang of misogynistic and conversion-oriented Love Jihadists lured daughters from the state into the Islamic State (ISIS) through deceit and force.

"These daughters were subjected to physical, mental, and social exploitation, and forced into paths of adharma and treason. Instead of tearing a commendable work, Vijayan should abandon his appeasement policy and apologise to the people of Kerala for his incompetence and the grave injustice done to non-Muslims in the state," Bansal said.

- IANS