Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today hit out at the opposition BJP over the saffron party’s demand to declare the Kashmir Files film tax free in the national capital. Kejriwal alleged that while the director of the film, Vivek Agnihotri is minting crores at the box-office, he has handed BJP leaders the work of mounting posters of the film for him. Speaking in the Delhi assembly, CM Kejriwal asked the BJP leaders to open their eyes and see the truth.
Speaking in the assembly over BJP’s demand to make The Kashmir Files tax free, Kejriwal said that the BJP should ask Vivek Agnihotri to upload the movie on YouTube so it becomes free for all. Kejriwal said, “BJP is saying make The Kashmir Files tax free. Put it on YouTube and it will be free for all. Why do you want to make it tax-free. If you have so much passion for it, ask Vivek Agnihotri to upload it on YouTube, the full picture will be free, all people can see it in a day, why make it tax-free.”
Citing an example of a tweet by Vivek Agnihotri where he asked Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to stop free screening of the movie, Kejriwal slammed the BJP for demanding tax waiver.
He said, “I read in a newspaper, an MLA of BJP Haryana announced the film’s screening at a park for free. Vivek Agnihotri immediately tweeted to Khattar saab saying that the MLA was planning to screen the movie for free and urged him to direct the MLA to do that by buying tickets. Some people are earning crores of rupees in the name of Kashmir Pandits and have given the work of sticking posters to you people (BJP). Open your eyes, what are you doing, he (Agnihotri) earned crores in the name of Kashmiri Pandits and you were left sticking posters. What have they done to you, open your eyes.”
Arvind Kejriwal was referring to Agnihotri’s tweet dated March 20 in which the latter shared a poster in which the name of a former BJP MLA was also mentioned. The BJP workers had invited people to a local park saying that the Kashmir Files movie will be screened for free.
“WARNING: Showing The Kashmir Files like this in open and free is a CRIMINAL OFFENCE. Dear Manohar Lal Khattar ji, I’d request you to stop this. Political leaders must respect creative business and true Nationalism and Social service means buying tickets in a legal and peaceful manner,” Agnihotri had tweeted.
Meanwhile, Kashmir Files is on an unstoppable run at the box office, having garnered over Rs 200 crore and counting. BJP rules Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Gujarat, Uttarakhand are the states where the film has been made tax-free by the respective state governments.
