http://ibnlive.in.com/news/amitabh-slams-cong-says-he-is-apolitical/112084-3.html?from=tn


New Delhi: One of Bollywood's biggest icon Amitabh Bachchan finds himself in the middle of a controversy after attending the inauguration of the second carriageway of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.

While Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has claimed that Amitabh was not invited for the event, the actor has responded by saying that he did not go to the function on his own.

In an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN he said that he can not be blamed if the Congress is unhappy with him.

"Everyone has the liberty to say what they want to say. I was invited by the minister of the Government of Maharashtra to the opening of this another four lanes. I accepted. I went there. It was a wonderful ceremony. What happens then is their problem, not mine," said Amitabh.

Clarifying that he went to the inauguration after being invited, Amitabh pointed out that there were advertisements in Mumbai newspapers showing that he would be attending the function.

"I was invited. It isn't as if I forced myself and I had a formal invitation, a formal letter from the minister on his letter head. The minister in-charge of the inauguration, in-charge of PWD and then there were advertisements in the press, half page advertisements where it was specifically mentioned that I will be attending them. So I don't see any problem," he said.

He added that if people were creating controversy over his presence then he could not do much to stop them.

"Whether or not somebody wishes to make an issue out of my association is their prerogative. What I do is my prerogative. I am going to do what my conscience allows me to do. I do not think I am doing anything wrong. I have been an apolitical person ever since I left politics. I am not going back there again and I think it has been over 25 years. I have never associated myself with anything political," he said.

Responding to reports that his association with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and his role as Gujarat's brand ambassador was one of the cause for the Congress targeting him, Amitabh replied that Gujarat was in India.

"The state of Gujarat belongs to the country. It does not belong to Narendra Modi or to the Congress party or to the Communist party. Narendra Modi is the constitutional head of the state. A democratic decision has been taken by the people of the state and they have elected Narendra Modi," he said.

"I was asked by the Gujarat government to promote tourism and if people are unhappy that I am going to be promoting tourism just because Narendra Modi is the chief minister because some people don't like him and I should not be associating my self, (then) it's ridiculous. In that case you should ask every industrialist in Gujarat to remove their industry. Why don't you ask Mr Ambani to remove Reliance from there," he added.

He also blamed the media for blowing up the matter.

"I'm not bothered whether credit is given to me, but what worries me is this, there is a very cynical temperament which is pervading in society that pervades media as such if you excuse my saying, where there is deliberate attempt to find fault first rather than give credit. I think that as a nation we need to change that," he said.

The title of recently released movie really suits the situation Amitabh finds himself in.

Na Ghar ke na ghat ke munna..