New Delhi:
In an exclusive interview to NDTV's Prannoy Roy, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan says he's perplexed by the recent political controversies that have him at their center.
On Wednesday, Bachchan attended a ceremony in Mumbai for the inauguration of the newest phase of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. That appearance created a storm, with some in the Mumbai Congress openly expressing their unhappiness. (Read: Congress humiliates Big B)
"The minister in charge of PWD (Public Works Department) Jayadutt Kshirsagar wrote a letter to me...and invited me. I said fine, I'll come. It was a very happy occasion," said Bacchan to NDTV.
Not for Ashok Chavan, the Maharashtra Chief Minister, who said, "He's the brand ambassador of another state, we would like to promote our state. So perhaps I would not have attended the function had I known he would be present."
On record, then, the problem for the Congress is Bachchan's role as brand ambassador for Gujarat Tourism- the Congress assumes that extends to a close equation with Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who is a pariah for the Congress.
"His name was not there on the invite," said Chavan. Not true, says the Congress' coalition partner, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), whose minister organized the event. "I knew he was invited from a newspaper ad. I read it there. Not true that NCP did this purposely," says Chaggan Bhujbal, the Deputy Chief Minister, denying that Bachchan was used by the NCP to snub the Congress.
Sources say the Chief Minister was forced to issue a clarification after being pulled up by the party high command for sharing the stage with an actor who has an uneasy equation with the Gandhis, is close to controversial politician Amar Singh, and has allied himself with a state ruled by Narendra Modi.
Bachchan tells NDTV that it's not the Gujarat Chief Minister or his policies that he's endorsing. "I was approached to become the brand ambassador for just Tourism, nothing else. I was there because I wanted tax exemption for my film, Paa..and these decisions are taken by the head of the government... he (Modi) also mentioned 'why don't you bring some of your shootings to this state? I've got nothing to do with politics..." (Read: Big B reacts on his blog)
Bachchan added that he will not be paid for his role as brand ambassador. "These are voluntary...without any consideration for cash," he said.
Referring to the Kerala government's reported indecision over whether to appoint him brand ambassador for Kerala tourism, he said, "I went there...they said you've just endorsed Gujarat, why don't you endorse Kerala, I said fine. There was an objection to that. I leave the decision to the government."
On Wednesday, Bachchan attended a ceremony in Mumbai for the inauguration of the newest phase of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. That appearance created a storm, with some in the Mumbai Congress openly expressing their unhappiness. (Read: Congress humiliates Big B)
"The minister in charge of PWD (Public Works Department) Jayadutt Kshirsagar wrote a letter to me...and invited me. I said fine, I'll come. It was a very happy occasion," said Bacchan to NDTV.
Not for Ashok Chavan, the Maharashtra Chief Minister, who said, "He's the brand ambassador of another state, we would like to promote our state. So perhaps I would not have attended the function had I known he would be present."
On record, then, the problem for the Congress is Bachchan's role as brand ambassador for Gujarat Tourism- the Congress assumes that extends to a close equation with Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who is a pariah for the Congress.
"His name was not there on the invite," said Chavan. Not true, says the Congress' coalition partner, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), whose minister organized the event. "I knew he was invited from a newspaper ad. I read it there. Not true that NCP did this purposely," says Chaggan Bhujbal, the Deputy Chief Minister, denying that Bachchan was used by the NCP to snub the Congress.
Sources say the Chief Minister was forced to issue a clarification after being pulled up by the party high command for sharing the stage with an actor who has an uneasy equation with the Gandhis, is close to controversial politician Amar Singh, and has allied himself with a state ruled by Narendra Modi.
Bachchan tells NDTV that it's not the Gujarat Chief Minister or his policies that he's endorsing. "I was approached to become the brand ambassador for just Tourism, nothing else. I was there because I wanted tax exemption for my film, Paa..and these decisions are taken by the head of the government... he (Modi) also mentioned 'why don't you bring some of your shootings to this state? I've got nothing to do with politics..." (Read: Big B reacts on his blog)
Bachchan added that he will not be paid for his role as brand ambassador. "These are voluntary...without any consideration for cash," he said.
Referring to the Kerala government's reported indecision over whether to appoint him brand ambassador for Kerala tourism, he said, "I went there...they said you've just endorsed Gujarat, why don't you endorse Kerala, I said fine. There was an objection to that. I leave the decision to the government."
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