Madhya Pradesh govt. launches drive to curb open sale of acid

Waiving tax on Chhapaak not enough, need to spread awareness, says Chief Minister Kamal Nath.

File: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Thursday announced that a drive had been launched to regulate and curb the open sale of acid in the State, and warned of strict action against perpetrators of acid attacks.

Incidents of the attacks were “cruel and barbaric”, he said, and there was a need to stop them.

Stating that the attacks won’t be tolerated, he wrote on Twitter, “This is an extremely important step to stop acid attacks on sisters and daughters in the State..responsibility will be set in such attacks.”

‘Strict punishment’

It wasn’t enough to declare tax-free

Chhapaak , a film made on acid attack survivors, he said, adding, “It is important to take firm steps as well to spread awareness to stop such incidents. We will ensure the guilty get strict punishment.”

The Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Puducherry governments had declared the Deepika Padukone-starrer tax-free ahead of its release last week.

Mr. Nath had earlier said the film, besides sending across a positive message on the survivors, was a tale based on self-confidence, struggle, hope, and the will to survive despite the pain.

Ms. Padukone had courted calls for her film’s boycott on social media after she visited the Jawaharlal Nehru University recently to express solidarity with students protesting against the rampage unleashed by masked persons there, leaving dozens injured, including students and teachers.