BJP to give 'home tuition' on national anthem to Kerala filmmaker Kamal

As the controversy over playing the national anthem before every show during the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) being held at Thiruvananthapuram rages on, the BJP has decided to sing the anthem in front of the house of film maker Kamal, who is also the chairman of state Chalachitra Academy. 

The BJP protest is apparently provoked by Kamal's stand that the police will not be allowed in cinemas where IFFK films are screened. As many as 12 film buffs who refused to stand up when the anthem was played during the IFFK on Tuesday. The arrests had ignited a heated debate in the state. 

Responding to the controversy, Kamal clarified that the organisers had not invited the police inside the halls and that they had no right to arrest people from the IFFK halls. 

The state BJP seems to have taken the opportunity to take on Kamal, a staunch critic of the BJP and its brand of nationalism. The party workers will play the national anthem in front of his house in Kodungallur in Thrissur on Thursday.  

The national anthem debate was sparked by the recent interim verdict of the Supreme Court making it mandatory for cinema halls to play the anthem. Following this another SC verdict made it compulsory that the anthem must be played before all the shows in the IFFK. 

Kamal had faced the ire of the BJP workers after he openly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and actor Suresh Gopi who joined the saffron party. The 'fans' of Suresh Gopi put up a flex board against Kamal and garlanded it with chappals. 

• IFFK
• national anthem controversy
• Filmmaker Kamal
• Kerala Chalachitra Academy