The Bharatiya Janata Party’s state unit on Thursday took objection to “incorrect references” on the Goods and Services Act (GST) in a just released Tamil film starring a top actor and sought their removal.
BJP state unit president Tamilisai Sounderrajan said that the “incorrect references on GST” had been made in Vijay starrer Mersal ’, which released on Wednesday for Diwali.
“Incorrect references have been made in Mersal about GST (Goods and Service Tax)... celebrities should desist from registering wrong information among people,” she said.
Fans of the top actor should not support such incorrect references, she told reporters here and favoured removal of the dialogue referring to the central taxation, rolled out in July this year.
“What do they (the filmmakers) know about GST and its economics... such incorrect references should be removed from the film,” she added.
She said Prime Minister Narendra Modi faced no corruption charges and was working round the clock for people’s welfare.
Atlee has directed the film, his second venture with Vijay after their earlier hit Theri .
Oscar winner A R Rahman has scored the music for the movie.
Anbumani questions Tamilisai
Meanwhile, PMK questioned BJP on the issue, saying the film had been certified by the Censor Board, constituted by the Central government.
PMK youth wing leader and Lok Sabha MP Anbumani Ramadoss said that the reference to GST in the film was made in the context of providing free medical care.
He said it would be fair if demands for removing a scene could be made if it hurt the sentiments of someone and wondered what was wrong in someone proposing free medical treatment in the backdrop of “high taxation.”
Since the Censor board constituted by the Central government had cleared the film’s release, “it is not proper to criticise it,” he said in a statement.
Instead of focusing on such issues, Ms. Sounderrajan could highlight more “pressing issues” concerning Tamil Nadu like the constitution of the Cauvery Management Board and get it done with Centre so as to address the “lifeline” problem of five crore people in the state, Mr. Ramadoss suggested.
