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‘This is democracy’: Minister disses boycott call over Padukone’s JNU visit
Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday distanced the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party from the many calls for boycotting Deepika Padukone’s upcoming movie ‘Chhapaak’
Senior BJP leader and Union minister Prakash Javdekar on Wednesday distanced the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party from the many calls for boycotting actor Deepika Padukone’s upcoming movie ‘Chhapaak’ after she joined a protest by Jawaharlal Nehru University students last evening.
“This is a democracy… anyone, any artist can go anywhere and put forth his or her view,” Prakash Javdekar said in response to questions about the actor’s visit to the university last evening.
Watch | ‘Democratic country..anyone can go’: Javadekar on Deepika Padukone’s JNU visit
Deepika Padukone’s decision to join a protest by the Left-dominated JNU students’ union against the attack on students at the university on Sunday evening had riled several BJP leaders and workers. Within minutes of this visit, Delhi BJP spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga had asked followers to retweet his post on boycotting the movie.
It was against this backdrop that many people on Twitter lauded Deepika Padukone for demonstrating the courage to take a stand in the face of a potential backlash.
Javadekar’s stand was a sharp contrast to the one taken by several party leaders and activists on social media.
When he was asked about boycott calls from BJP leaders, Prakash Javadekar shot back:. “I am also in the party and a minister… I am not saying so”.
The senior BJP leader, apart from handling weighty portfolios of environment, heavy industries and information and the information and broadcasting ministry, is also one of the BJP’s two points persons for the campaign for Delhi elections next month.
The minister, however, lashed out at the effort by JNU student leaders over the last few days to block the registration process for students. “This is not related to an educational pursuit,” the minister said, underscoring that there is no place for violence, especially on the campus.
A large section of students, including the Left-controlled students union, and many professors blame the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for the violence, and allege that the JNU administration was complicit in the attack on Sunday evening.
The student wing of the RSS has denied all charges and blamed Left-leaning students instead. Over the past two days, the administration has also sought to blame left-leaning students and the JNUSU.
Masked assailants armed with sticks, rods and hammers had gone on a rampage inside the university, leaving 34 students injured. The Delhi Police was present in and outside the campus but did not make any arrests. The police have claimed that they were yet to identify the culprits.
