Thiruvananthapuram, April 5 (IANS): The BJP in Kerala on Friday came out strongly against the way both the CPI(M) and the Congress have opposed the screening of the controversial film-'The Kerala Story' on Doordarshan.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan, a candidate at the Attingal Lok Sabha constituency, near here said this opposition to the film should be termed as fascist tendencies.

"One fails to understand the logic of those who are opposing the screening it on television. This is a film that was shown in the theatres after going through all the procedures, then what's the problem now," he said.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition V. D. Satheesan have demanded that the film should not be shown on the national network, especially with the elections around the corner, claiming that it could create unnecessary problems.

Vijayan pointed out that Doordarshan should not be allowed to become a "propaganda machine" of the BJP and RSS.

Satheesan wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner to stop the telecast.

The youth wing of the CPI(M) on Friday marched to the Doordarshan headquarters here and staged a protest.

State BJP president K. Surendran said: "It's strange the CPI(M) which always talks about freedom of expression, is now saying this ('The Kerala Story') should not be aired."

"All this is done for votes and appeasement," said K. Surendran.

'The Kerala Story', a Hindi film directed by Sudipto Sen and produced by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, tells the tale of a group of women from Kerala who are coerced into converting to Islam and joining the Islamic State.