Latest reports indicate that the controversial film Empuran has undergone changes, including 17 cuts. This comes in response to vehement opposition from Hindu organisations and nationalist thinkers and movements. They have made it clear that the movie spreads anti-national sentiments and seeks to create divisions in society. The film portrays Hindus as fanatics, terrorists, and rioters. It presents a distorted version of the Gujarat riots while remaining silent on the Godhra train carnage.
Meanwhile, the report published in Organiser Weekly has made a significant impact. The entire Malayalam electronic media has reported on Organiser’s criticism of the controversial movie. Following this, a section of the anti-film lobby claimed that the script and story were completed and handed over to the director in 2022. They argued that Mohanlal, Gokulam Gopalan (one of the film’s financiers), and Murali Gopi (the story and script writer) were unaware of the significant changes made. However, no right-thinking individuals are willing to accept this explanation. At the end of the day, the people “behind the scenes” appear to be either after money or engaged in twisting facts.
Moreover, it is highly unlikely that a megastar like Mohanlal would act in a film without reading the complete script. A shrewd business tycoon like Gokulam Gopalan would be unlikely to invest in a movie without full knowledge of its story and script. Similarly, it is improbable that Murali Gopi, the story and script writer, would allow his name to appear in the credits if the script had been altered.
The film completely ignores the Godhra carnage, in which 59 Karsevaks returning from Ayodhya were burned to death in the most brutal manner. It also fails to mention the Nanavati Commission Report, which investigated both the carnage and the post-Godhra Gujarat riots. It is important for readers to understand the Godhra carnage and its aftermath.
The carnage took place on February 27, 2002. According to the Nanavati Commission, appointed by the Gujarat government under Chief Minister Narendra Modi on March 6, 2002, and consisting of Justice G T Nanavati and Justice Akshay H Mehta, when the Sabarmati Express arrived in Godhra, one Hasan Lala forcibly opened the vestibule between coaches S-6 and S-7, entered S-6, and threw burning rags inside, setting it on fire. There was no evidence to support the claim that the Karsevaks had been fighting with Muslim vendors prior to the incident, as alleged by some. The Commission clearly stated that the burning of the S-6 coach was a “planned conspiracy”, hatched by local Muslims at the Aman Guest House in Godhra the previous night. The conspirators had arranged for 140 litres of petrol from a nearby filling station on the night of February 26.
No one can dispute the fact that the riots were a direct consequence of the Godhra train carnage. Thirty-one culprits were convicted by the Ahmedabad court—eleven were sentenced to death, while twenty received life imprisonment. The Nanavati Commission Report, submitted in September 2008, exposed the true story of the Gujarat riots and is available in the public domain.
Despite this, during the UPA government’s tenure, then Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav appointed the Banerji Commission to undermine the Nanavati Commission Report. However, there were no takers for Banerji’s conclusions.
The Congress, Leftists, and Islamist forces left no stone unturned in exploiting the Gujarat riots for political gain. They remained silent on the Godhra carnage but loudly proclaimed from the rooftops that the Gujarat riots were a “genocide of Muslims”. Although this blatant falsehood had no takers in Gujarat, anti-Hindu and anti-BJP forces spread their hate campaign in other parts of Bharat. As a result, they succeeded in dethroning the BJP/NDA government in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. However, the Supreme Court eventually acquitted Narendra Modi of all charges.
Now, as expected, Leftist-Jihadi forces and the Congress have come out in support of Empuran. They are using electronic media debates and social media platforms to paint the opposition to the film as “fascist”. Congress MLA Rahul Mankoottathil told the media that the Godhra carnage was not an attack. He refuses to accept the Nanavati Commission Report and various court verdicts.
However, the nationalist forces have forced the makers of Empuran onto their knees. Thanks to their stiff opposition, the filmmakers have decided to make 17 cuts to the movie. Derogatory dialogues will be muted, and the name of the villain, Baba Bajrangi, will also be changed. The decision to resubmit the film for censorship was made voluntarily by the filmmakers.
In Kerala, the film and media industry is dominated by Leftists and Islamists, who have no hesitation in spreading lies to please their “masters.” During the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill agitation, a TV reporter from Delhi falsely claimed that a mosque was burning behind him. Some journalists privately admit that they deliberately spread lies to malign the RSS and BJP.
Now, however, nationalist and Hindu forces have delivered a strong counterattack by compelling the makers of Empuran to alter their film.
