'What Kind of Party Gets Intimidated by Movies on Social Issues?' AAP's Dig at BJP over Call to Boycott 'Chhapaak'

New Delhi: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday hit out at the BJP for being "easily intimidated by" and "fearing" certain films that invoke a sense of social responsibility among people.

In response to a question on a BJP leader's call to boycott the Deepika Padukone-starrer 'Chhapaak', Sisodia said it is very disgraceful to see people "getting intimidated" by films based on social issues. "How can they be scared of a movie which is based on an acid attack victim? What kind of a political party is (BJP) if it is easily intimidated by and fears certain films that invoke a sense of social responsibilities among people and other important issues such as education," he said.

"You (BJP) are scared of a film which has been made on a acid attack victim? You are scared of a film? You are scared of films, you are scared of education, what type of a party are you?" Sisodia said. "I will try to go for the movie and take my family along with it too," he added.

Padukone on Tuesday made a surprise visit to the Jawaharlal Nehru University to express solidarity with students who were attacked by a masked mob inside the campus on January 5. She did not address the public meeting but stood silently behind student leaders.

Earlier this week, Padukone was in Delhi to promote her latest release "Chhapaak", based on the life of acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal.

She has been in the eye of the proverbial storm after her visit to JNU, getting appreciation from the film fraternity, activists, politicians and other sectors of society but also being criticised and trolled by many on social media and elsewhere.

BJP leaders like MP Ramesh Bidhuri and party spokesperson Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga protested against her movie 'Chhapaak'.

Urging the people not to watch the movie for her support to the 'Tukde-Tukde gang', Bidhuri had said, Bollywood stars are supposed to give a "positive message or direction" to youths of the country through their movies instead of being seen with those who are against the country.

Openly calling for a boycott, Bagga had tweeted her photo at JNU. However, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar had said, "The BJP and the Modi government don't believe in issuing boycott calls against people".