‘Bachchan critics are Talibans of untouchability'

GANDHINAGAR: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has described as the “Talibans of untouchability” all those who have criticised actor Amitabh Bachchan and dragged him into controversy after he became the brand ambassador of the State to encourage tourism.

Mr. Modi wrote in his blog that these “Talibans of untouchability” had lost all their “sensibilities” in their pursuit of an “anti-Gujarat attitude.”

Cautioning Mr. Bachchan's critics, he added that he was unwilling to believe that these “Talibans' were unaware of the damage they were causing to the nation and society.

This is the first time that Mr. Modi has publicly come out in Mr. Bachchan's defence since the controversy began over his attending an official function of the Maharashtra government last week.

‘Love for Gujarat'

Asking his followers to take “inspiration” from Mr. Bachchan's “love for Gujarat” — for which he had chosen to become tourism ambassador despite facing a lot of criticism from many quarters — Mr. Modi said it was unfortunate that a “great artist with legendary humility and even taller achievements” had been dragged into the controversy.

Recalling Mahatma Gandhi's struggle to eliminate untouchability from society, Mr. Modi said Mr. Bachchan's critics, even while swearing by Gandhiji's name, were creating a new kind of vicious untouchability in the country's public life.