Former Bihar minister seeks tax-free status for 'Chhapaak'

Former Bihar culture minister Shiv Chandra Ram on Friday urged the Nitish Kumar government to make tax-free the Deepika Padukone-starrer 'Chhapaak' across the state, saying the movie raised the socially relevant issue of acid attack survivors.

The RJD leader, who had served in Kumar's cabinet until the JD(U) chief returned to the NDA in July 2017 also lamented the government's "indifference" towards culture and sports and claimed that several initiatives taken by him to promote these did not see the light of day.

"Deepika Padukone is one of our leading actresses and she deserves a salute for having the guts to play a de-glamorised role, based on a real life incident. Acid attacks have been a social menace and the movie sends a very important message.

"The government must follow the examples of states like Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and the film should be made tax-free in Bihar, Ram told reporters here.

He disapproved of the clamour, mainly on social media, to boycott the movie following Padukone's recent visit to the JNU campus, where she stood in solidarity with students protesting the violence there.

Those who are having problems with the movie have their own peculiar mindset. I have nothing to say about them. But even if one acknowledges their right to believe in a particular political ideology, how does a socially relevant movie come in their way?