The Kerala Story Team Introduces 26 Real Victims
Here’s how the movie The Kerala Story is still in trend! 26 new victims have come out and courageously raised their voices. Read what they said...
Last Week, the makers of The Kerala Story introduced 26 women victims, who were allegedly indoctrinated and trapped by ISIS recruiters, to the media during a press conference in Mumbai. This is another attempt to prove that their effort is genuine and fact-based. During the press conference, producer Vipul Shah said, “Our film was called propaganda. The audience has given them an answer. Despite these allegations we have ensured that everything we’ve said is true. The intention of their film was to “save our daughters."
One of the victims, Dr. Anagha Jaigopal, who is a physiotherapist, said, ‘I was pregnant two years ago. I was in the same situation as Shalini (played by Adah Sharma in the film). There were many girls in the hostel like Asifa shown in the film, who used to bring the angle of religion into normal conversation. They used to confuse us about things. Due to a lack of knowledge of religion, I could not present my side.’ ‘These (Muslim) girls used to say that God is the only one that is Allah. They give me the Hindi version of the Quran, and after reading it I fell prey to their nefarious agenda.
I became anti-Hindu. …Left the family and adopted Islam completely. My family used to worship Bhagwan at home and I used to offer namaz on the terrace. I vented my anger on my cousin’s daughter because she was not allowing me to offer Namaz.’ She added, ‘I started calling my parents, the people who gave birth to me Kafirs. They used to fall at my feet and beg me not to do this, but I used to tell them that if you people will not accept Islam, you will go to Jahnnum (hell). This film seems like my story to me. I just wanted to cry after watching this.’
Chitra, one of the victim girls, said, “Not only girls but boys were also among the converts. Those who got converted left their families completely. When the family members noticed the change in them, they brought them to the ashram. There is no record of these people because no one wants to talk about it, it is hard to recount the memories after coming out of such a situation. They also want to keep their identity hidden. Shruti, one of the women associated with Aarsha Vidya Samajam, revealed that their organization in 24 years, has successfully reintegrated over 7,000 women back into the Sanatan fold in Kerala.
A section of political parties also questioned the makers of The Kerala Story over their now-withdrawn claim that 32,000 women from Kerala were converted to Islam and recruited to ISIS. Reacting to the 32,000 claim, Vipul Shah said, “We told the story of 32,000 women through these 3 women. People tried to discredit us by picking up 32,000. What we were saying is that this is a story of 32,000 through 3 women.”
Lead actor Adah Sharma said, “I was shown videos of numerous girls thrown in tankers where they die. Only women who can be used for the sex trade, machinery to reproduce kids, kids who can become become terrorists and suicide bombers were kept alive.”. Director Sudipto Sen said, “Two Keralas exist inside Kerala – one which is like a picture, postcard, backwaters, beautiful landscape, Kalaripayattu, dance, martial arts. The other Kerala which connects to south Karnataka is a terror-network hub.”
