Congress questions government invite to Amitabh Bachchan for India Gate programme

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday questioned the government’s decision to invite Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan to host a show at India Gate here on May 28 to highlight the Narendra Modi government’s achievements in the last two years.

“We don’t have any objection either to Amitabh Bachchan or Prime Minister Narendra Modi because we respect Bachchan as an actor and Modi as the prime minister but what signal will it send to the agencies investigating the Panama Papers leaks,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told reporters here.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to think over it,” he added.

The Congress leader said that although Bachchan had denied his involvement in the Panama Papers controversy and “I believe he will be exonerated”, but it (invite) sends a wrong signal to the investigating agencies as well as the nation”.

The event at India Gate is likely to comprise talk shows on the government’s achievements, interspersed with cultural programmes.