Neither BJP nor government has given any call to boycott Chapaak: Prakash Javadekar

Speaking with India Today, Javadekar said, "BJP has not given any such call. We are a democratically-run party in a democratic country, and, therefore, we believe in dissent and freedom of expression, and at the same time freedom to visit any place a person likes.

"People may have their opinion. They may vote for someone else. Hundred percent people don't vote for BJP. That's their choice. That is what is democracy. And, therefore,we have not taken any stand like that."

The minister said he was not aware of social media appeals to boycott Chapaak by BJP leaders or supporters over Deepika Padukone's Jan 5 visit to JNU after violence broke out on the varsity campus and her expression of solidarity with JNUSU students, 

"Social media platforms are public platforms and not party platforms. You cannot ask me questions about public platforms. Even India Today gets thousands of tweets when it posts something on its profile..do you know what people have written in those comments or tweets?" he questioned.

Javadekar rejected the comments of BJP leaders and supporters disagreeing with Deepika Padukone's decision to stand with Kanhaiya Kumar on the same platform and the alleged "tukde tukde gang", but pointed out that people making those comments also enjoyed the same freedom of expression and couldn't be judged for their views.

"Just like Deepika Padukone has freedom of opinion, other people also have their freedom of opinion," he stressed.

Asked if BJP leaders could also make such comments, to which Javadekar said "everyone has their freedom of opinion".

He added: "Neither the BJP nor the government has given any call to boycott Chapaak."

Chapaak is based on the true story of acid attack victim Lakshmi Agarwal. The movie is directed by Meghna Gulzar and has Deepika Padukone and Vikrant Massey in the lead roles. The movie is releasing tomorrow on Jan 10.