Launching a frontal attack on the opposition BJP on the issue of criticism of Bollywood artistes including Deepika Padukone for their support to the JNU student and anti-CAA movement, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath has said that it is wrong to divide artistes based on party and ideology lines and link them to politics.
Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel has decided to watch Chhapaak on Saturday. Baghel also announced tax-free status for the movie in Chhattisgarh.
In a series of tweets, a day after his decision to make Chhapaak starring Deepika Padukone tax-free in Madhya Pradesh elicited criticism from the BJP leaders, Kamal Nath said that the tradition (to divide artistes) has started only a few years ago. “Artistes are also human beings and they have the right to expression. Abusing them, opposing them, speaking against them is absolutely wrong. Supporting or opposing a movie on the basis of ideology, where are we taking the nation?" he said.
He further tweeted that all artistes should be looked at with the same view, it is not right to divide them. “I appeal to the people to watch any movie according to their thoughts, views, entertainment and choice. This is their right,” the CM said.
“No one in the country has the right to tell us what to watch, which movie to watch and what not. All movies carry some good and social message,” Kamal Nath said.
Kamal Nath’s tweets come in the background that BJP leaders like MLA and party vice-president Rameshwar Sharma not only criticized Deepika Padukone for her JNU visit, but also lashed out at Nath for deciding to Chhapaak tax free. Sharma said that even as funds are not being allocated for welfare schemes and marriages were breaking as money under the Kanyadan Scheme was not being paid, the CM was making movies tax free.
Make Tanhaji tax-free
Interestingly on Friday, Rameshwar Sharma also demanded that Ajay Devgn-starrer Tanhaji, which is also releasing simultaneous to Chhapaak on Friday, should be made tax-free in Madhya Pradesh. Sharma said that the Shiv Sena should also come forward to make the movie tax-free in Maharashtra and CM Uddhav Thackerahy should write to Kamal Nath in this regard.
