BJP calls Congress opposition to Amitabh Bachchan hosting event 'mental disability'

BJP on Wednesday came out in strong defence of megastar Amitabh Bachchan for his association with an event to mark the second anniversary of Modi government despite a probe against him after his name appeared in Panama papers expose.

A host of BJP leaders, including Union Ministers said the probe against Bachchan has nothing to do with the event linked with a social issue of protecting the girl child which the megastar will attend on May 28 and attacked Congress for its "mental disability" in raising a row over it. BJP leader and Union Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said the probe into Bachchan's name cropping up in Panama Papers will have no affect if he attends the event to mark two years of Narendra Modi government on Saturday. "See, practically, participation of Amitabh Bachchan and the investigation with regards to Panama Papers, certainly, it will not have any connectivity. Investigation will be done by an independent agency, they will take care of things. Even today, we have seen so many cases against politicians. Agencies do their duty independently. There is no harm," he said when asked about Congress' charge that the actor's presence will not 'go down well' with probe agencies.

Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said the megastar is only hosting a programme and he is not yet proven guilty by any court. "You may have questions, but has he been labelled guilty for that. His name has come. Let the court of law take action. If somebody is hosting a programme for celebrating our two years and he is not a criminal, he is a respected person of society. If his name has come, let the court of law take action," he said.

BJP Spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said the superstar has done a lot of good in films and people love him more than Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, but this should not be a reason for Congress to be "jealous about". 

BJP Secretary Shrikant Sharma said the row created by Congress "only reflects its mental disability" as its own leaders are embroiled in corruption and are out on bail.

Party MP Paresh Rawal said the Congress is "issue-less" and is thus creating an issue and dubbed it a "bogus issue" like the row created over the return of awards by writers and litterateurs in the wake of Dadri lynching incident.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministerial colleagues are expected to attend the event 'Zara Muskura Do' (Smile Please) at India Gate to be hosted by megastar Amitabh Bachchan on May 28 to mark the second anniversary of the NDA government. 

Sharma said Bachchan is anchoring a programme linked to the important social issue of "beti bachao, beti padhao" and creating a row over it reflects the Congress' "negative mindset due to which it has lost connect with the public". "Congress should first take action against its own leaders who are involved in various scams and corruption," he said, adding that former Congress Minister and Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh's wife Preneet Kaur's name figures among those possessing Swiss bank accounts and is being probed. 

Hussain said Bachchan is a super-star who has done a lot of good in films and Congress is unnecessarily trying to create a controversy involving him. "Amitabh Bachchan is a superstar and people of the country love him more than at least Rahul Gandhi. The superstar has done a lot of good work in films and they should not see this as a reason for Congress to feel jealous about," he said. Rawal said, "Congress has no issue. They do so just like you throw a stone at any big man and you will get some name.

Congress has no standing now. That is why they are doing so." "Amitji has done a lot for Gujarat, why no issue was created then and why now? They dont have an issue and they are in search of an issue, it is their obsession. They don't have an issue, it is a bogus issue like the award-return row," he said, adding that people are forgetting them even otherwise. Congress has sought to embarrass the Narendra Modi government on the association of Amitabh Bachchan with an event here on May 28 to mark its second anniversary at a time when the megastar is being probed in the Panama papers expose.

Party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also raised several questions over the issue, wondering whether the megastar hosting the event which is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not dilute the fight against black money, as he had vowed to such money stashed abroad and punish the guilty.