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A row erupted on Wednesday over Amitabh Bachchan's participation in the second anniversary celebrations of the National Democratic Alliance government in New Delhi on May 28 with the Congress targeting him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the light of the mega star's name figuring in the Panama Papers expose.
After Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala raised questions of propriety in Bachchan "hosting" the event and asked what signal would it send to the probe agencies, the actor was quoted as having said it would be actor R Madhavan, and not him, who would host the event and that he is scheduled to anchor only a segment on 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao'.
The 73-year-old star also said that he does not think they (Congress) are aware that he was not hosting the event.
The Bharatiya Janata Party came out in strong defence of Bachchan for his association with the event 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 and attacked the Congress for its "mental disability" in fueling a row.
"Would it be fair? ....What message it would send to investigating agencies going into siphoning of funds abroad illegally? What signal are you sending?" when they see the prime minister sharing the dais with Bachchan, Surjewala told reporters.
Raising several questions over the issue, he wondered whether the mega star "hosting" the event which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi among others would not dilute the fight against black money.
He recalled that the prime minister has time and again vowed to bring back black money stashed abroad and punish those guilty.
BJP leader and Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said the probe into Bachchan's name cropping up in Panama Papers will have no effect if he attends the event.
"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."
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.
The actor's son Abhishek Bachchan also hit back, saying his father is only part of a function where he is talking about educating the girl child.
"It is not a political event. He is part of a function where he is talking about educating the girl child. That's not a political event," Abhishek told reporters.
The Panama Papers -- based on an investigation by over 100 news organisations around the world -- is a global list revealing offshore links of over 500 Indians, including Amitabh. Amitabh has denied links with any of the offshore companies.
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".
"The 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. The 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.
The Congress has sought to embarrass the Narendra Modi government on the association of Amitabh Bachchan with an event in New Delhi 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.