Bhargava slams Cong for making Chhapaak tax-free in MP

The Leader of Opposition in the assembly was asked about the Congress government's decision to make the Padukone- starrer film tax-free

BJP leader Gopal Bhargava has criticised the Madhya Pradesh governments decision to declare Bollywood movie 'Chhapaak' as tax-free in the state and remarked that even if the film was "porn" the Congress administration would have given it the same relief.

The film, based on the life of an acid attack survivor - played by actor Deepika Padukone - was declared tax-free in the Congress-ruled Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh on Thursday, a day before its release.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath took to Twitter to make the announcement, saying the movie gives a "positive message to the society about acid attack survivors."

However, the move has not gone down well with the opposition BJP.

The film was not even released and still it was made tax-free. Be it stunt or action or anything...if porn, they could have done it even then, Bhargava said in Harda town while talking to reporters on Thursday.

Reacting strongly to Bhargavas comments, MP Congress media department chairperson Shobha Oza termed them as derogatory towards women.

On one hand Chief Minister Kamal Nath has decided to make the film tax-free to give a positive message to the society, while on the other Bhargava has made remarks which are too low and highly derogatory towards women," she said.

It reflects not just Bhargavas thinking about women, but also exposes the entire BJP, she told PTI.

Padukone visited the JNU campus in Delhi on Tuesday to express solidarity with students who were attacked by armed assailants on Sunday night, but did not address the gathering.

After her JNU visit, many appreciated her "silent solidarity", but some others criticised her for "supporting Leftists", saying it was a promotional stunt ahead of her film's release.