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Punjab’s acid attack survivors attend spl screening of ‘Chhapaak’
Around 15 survivors and their families attend screening organised by state govt in Zirakpur
It is a story as old as time. A boy falls in love with a girl. The girl says no. The boy takes to the bottle. This time, the bottle does not contain alcohol, but cheap and readily available, highly corrosive acid. And the aim is not to soothe the hurt caused by rejection but tarnish it for life.
Deepika Padukone-starrer ‘Chhapaak’, which was released on Friday, was specially screened for acid attack victims of Punjab by the department of social security, women and child development on Saturday at the Dhillon Plaza, Zirakpur.
Around 15 acid attack survivors and their families from across the state had been invited for the screening, which was also attended by social security, women and child development minister Aruna Chaudhary; principal secretary of the department, Raji P Shrivastava and director Gurpreet Kaur Sapra.
Rajwant Kaur, a 26-year-old acid attack survivor, had come from Ludhiana with her husband. With red matrimonial bangles sparkling on her wrists, she was happy that a movie on the issue had been made but also emotional because memories came flooding.
She was only 14 when she became a victim of acid attack. Her friend, who was also involved in the accident, couldn’t survive the onslaught.
“I am lucky to be alive but it was a struggle. The aim should be to ban the sale of acid,” she said, adding that the movie conveys the message that ‘no matter what, life shouldn’t stop’.
Interacting with the media, Aruna Chaudhary said as per the report of the bureau of investigation, there are 40 cases registered in connection with acid attacks. Out of these, in 11 cases the conviction has been pronounced. The minister added that under the scheme of financial assistance to women acid attack victims, a pension of Rs 8000 per month is being provided.
She said that in accordance with the present policy of the home department, there is a provision of compensation of Rs 3 lakh per victim.
On being asked about the controversy surrounding the movie, Chaudhary said. “This is not a political matter, but a societal one. We want to tell the survivors that they are as beautiful as ever.”
LEGAL BATTLE
The movie stresses on the legal battle that Laxmi Aggrawal, on whose life the movie is based, and her lawyer fight to get a ban on sale of acid imposed countrywide and to get acid attack cases be considered as attempt to murder (Section 307) and not just cases of grievous hurt (Section 326).
Navpreet Kaur, a lawyer with the Punjab Legal Services Authority, said their fight involves giving free legal aid, providing compensation, and rehabilitation to the victims. “A society that needs a movie to be sensitised about such a major issue is a problematic one,” she added.
