Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India]: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday declared the movie The Sabarmati Report, based on the 2002 Godhra train coach burning incident, tax-free in the state.
CM Yadav made the announcement during a media interaction following the inaugural session of the 17th Association of Universities in Asia and the Pacific (AUAP) conference held in Bhopal.
The Chief Minister lauded the film, describing it as impactful, and encouraged the state ministers and the Members of Parliaments (MPs) to watch it.
“The Sabarmati Report is a very good film. I plan to watch it and encourage my ministers and MPs to do the same. We are making it tax-free so that more people can see it. The film sheds light on a very dark chapter of the past, watching it will help people understand the truth,” CM Yadav said.
He also commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was Gujarat’s Chief Minister at the time of the incident, for his leadership during the crisis. “I believe Prime Minister Modi, who was the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, handled the situation with remarkable skills and preserved the honour of both Gujarat and the nation. It is important that the truth of that period is shared today,” he added.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised the Vikrant Massey-starrer, saying it is good that the “truth” is coming out.
Responding to an X user, who had shared the film’s trailer, the Prime Minister wrote,” Well said. It is good that this truth is coming out, and that too in a way common people can see it. A fake narrative can persist only for a limited period of time. Eventually, the facts will always come out!”
The Sabarmati Report was released on November 15.
The movie, directed by Dheeraj Sarna and produced by Shobha Kapoor, Ektaa R Kapoor, Amul V Mohan and Anshul Mohan, explores the real-life events of the burning of the S-6 coach of the Sabarmati Express near Godhra station on February 27, 2002. The tragedy claimed the lives of 59 Hindu pilgrims returning from Ayodhya and subsequently triggered riots across Gujarat.