Any artist can go anywhere, put forth his or her views, says Javadekar on Deepika Padukone's JNU visit

Amid calls on social media for boycotting actor Deepika Padukone's upcoming movie 'Chhapaak' for her visit to the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday said that any artist can go anywhere and put forth his or her view.

"This is a democratic country, anyone, any artist can go anywhere and put forth his or her view," said Javadekar while speaking to the reporters here today.

A social media campaign to boycott Deepika's movie 'Chhapaak' started trending on social media immediately after her visit to the JNU on Tuesday to join the students, who are protesting against the attacks on them by the goons on Sunday.

 

The actor's visit to the JNU campus has received both criticism and appreciation on social media as well as by the political parties.

Earlier today DMK lawmaker Kanimozhi slammed the calls on social media to boycott Deepika' movies.

"I do not watch many Hindi movies. They're actually making people like me go and watch her movies and support her," said Kanimozhi on being asked about a social media campaign to boycott Padukone's movie.

Earlier in the day, Kanimozhi met Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNSU) president Aishe Ghosh here on the varsity campus.

BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said that the actor should have taken "proper cognisance of violence" on the JNU campus as her solidarity with the Leftist organisations reflects her "one-sided thinking," while Congress leader Ashok Chavan said that there was nothing wrong in her visit to the JNU.

Deepika was seen standing with students as the demonstrators raised the slogan of "Jai Bhim, Jai Bhim" and former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar gave a speech. She did not issue any statement nor did she address the students.

Deepika was in the national capital to promote her upcoming film 'Chhapaak'.

More than 30 students were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre after a masked mob entered the JNU and attacked the students and professors with sticks and rods late on Sunday night.