Thiruvananthapuram | M A Baby, the newly elected general secretary of the CPI(M), accused the BJP-led central government of increasingly exhibiting "neo-fascist" tendencies, citing the recent attack on the Mohanlal-starrer 'L2: Empuraan' as the latest example.

Although the film does not promote any major political ideology, it was subjected to one of the most heinous attacks and rule violations by right-wing groups, he said.

Baby was addressing reporters at the AKG Centre, the party headquarters, after being welcomed by hundreds of party workers following his election to the top post.

'Empuraan' isn’t a film that espouses a strong political stance, but it has resonated with the public and achieved remarkable box office success. It also features some of Malayalam cinema’s most celebrated actors, he said.

The CPI(M) general secretary said the film was targeted over a dialogue in which a character referred to the communal violence and alleged genocide that took place in Gujarat years ago.

Referring to recent central agency probes against its producers and director, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Baby alleged that the Narendra Modi government has targeted everyone associated with the film and “unleashed” central agencies against them.

He described it "as a blatant violation of rules and norms".

"The Modi government is increasingly showcasing neo-fascist tendencies, and the attack on Empuraan is the latest example," the Left leader reiterated.

Baby further alleged that while the Union government continues to "financially choke Kerala by withholding its rightful dues", the LDF government is still making significant progress in various sectors by implementing alternative policies and ideas.