Amitabh Bachchan's comment on free speech kicks off BJP vs Trinamool war of words on Twitter
At the inauguration of Kolkata International Film Festival, Bachchan spoke on civil liberties and freedom of expression. But BJP and Trinamool leaders' interpretations gave the comment a different colour.
- Dec 16, 2022,
- Updated Dec 16, 2022 4:19 PM IST
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan’s remarks on civil liberties and freedom of expression at the inaugural session of the Kolkata International Film Festival have triggered a war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders.
Bachchan, while speaking at the opening day of the Kolkata International Film Festival, said: “The 1952 Cinematograph Act set out the structure of censorship as it stands today upheld by the film certification board. But even now, ladies and gentlemen – and I am sure my colleagues on stage will agree – questions are being raised on civil liberties and freedom of expression.”
Following this comment, BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya said that the Bollywood megastar’s words were “prophetic” since he was sharing the dais with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata. He said: “Amitabh Bachchan’s words couldn’t have been more prophetic since they were spoken in Kolkata, with [TMC leader and West Bengal CM] Mamata Banerjee on the dais. It is like holding a mirror to the tyrant, under whose watch India witnessed the bloodiest post-poll violence. She has tarnished the image of Bengal.”
The fight comes in the backdrop of BJP leaders' boycott calls against Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming movie 'Pathaan', who was on the stage at the Kolkata film festival, besides Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
After Malviya’s tweet, BJP leader Priti Gandhi tweeted whether Banerjee acknowledges the actor’s statement on freedom of expression and civil liberties.
BJP national general secretary BL Santhosh also joined the thread and assumed that Bachchan’s statement was in solidarity with the post-poll violence of the victims. “He hit the nail on the head with @MamataOfficial on his side,” Santosh said. “Thank you Amitabh Bachchan for standing for victims of political violence in West Bengal.”
Trinamool Congress leaders sharply reacted to BJP’s views and analogies.
On Twitter, Trinamool’s Mahua Moitra asked Malviya to hire a 'Troll In Chief' and reply back with facts. Moitra tweeted: “Wish BJP would hire a Troll In Chief with IQ >single digits. Bachhan ji is Bengal’s “jamai” - he knows the soil of his 2nd home is the land of the free & home of the brave. He chose KIFF’s platform to denounce BJP’s boycotts & bans in the arts. Duh…."
On Malviya's comment, TMC Lok Sabha MP and actress Nussrat Jahan too jumped into the fray and said that tyrannical rule involves banning movies, detaining journalists and punishing citizens for speaking the truth. She said: “All this under the BJP regime while Mr @amitmalviya is busy accusing others of the same.”
Trinamool leader Saket Gokhale also joined the fight and asserted that the Bollywood megastar could express himself freely in Bengal in Banerjee’s presence and not in Delhi or Mumbai.
Later, Malviya also attacked Mamata Banerjee, saying that she always belittles successful Bengalis. He wrote: “Mamata Banerjee didn’t invite superstar Mithun Chakraborty, son of Bengal, for the Kolkata Film Festival. She had similarly appointed Shahrukh as the brand ambassador of Bengal and not Saurav, one of the finest cricketers Bengal has seen."
He again tweeted a video clip of singer Arijit Singh singing “Rang de toh mohe gerua”. Malviya said that from Bachchan to Arijit, everybody knows that the future of Bengal is saffron. “At the Kolkata Film Festival, Mamata Banerjee asked Arijit Singh to sing one of his favourites and he chose रंग दे तू मोहे गेरुआ… It was an evening of realisations. From Mr Bachchan to Arijit, who reminded Mamata Banerjee, in her backyard, that the future of Bengal is saffron…"
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan’s remarks on civil liberties and freedom of expression at the inaugural session of the Kolkata International Film Festival have triggered a war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders.
Bachchan, while speaking at the opening day of the Kolkata International Film Festival, said: “The 1952 Cinematograph Act set out the structure of censorship as it stands today upheld by the film certification board. But even now, ladies and gentlemen – and I am sure my colleagues on stage will agree – questions are being raised on civil liberties and freedom of expression.”
Following this comment, BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya said that the Bollywood megastar’s words were “prophetic” since he was sharing the dais with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata. He said: “Amitabh Bachchan’s words couldn’t have been more prophetic since they were spoken in Kolkata, with [TMC leader and West Bengal CM] Mamata Banerjee on the dais. It is like holding a mirror to the tyrant, under whose watch India witnessed the bloodiest post-poll violence. She has tarnished the image of Bengal.”
The fight comes in the backdrop of BJP leaders' boycott calls against Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming movie 'Pathaan', who was on the stage at the Kolkata film festival, besides Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
After Malviya’s tweet, BJP leader Priti Gandhi tweeted whether Banerjee acknowledges the actor’s statement on freedom of expression and civil liberties.
BJP national general secretary BL Santhosh also joined the thread and assumed that Bachchan’s statement was in solidarity with the post-poll violence of the victims. “He hit the nail on the head with @MamataOfficial on his side,” Santosh said. “Thank you Amitabh Bachchan for standing for victims of political violence in West Bengal.”
Trinamool Congress leaders sharply reacted to BJP’s views and analogies.
On Twitter, Trinamool’s Mahua Moitra asked Malviya to hire a 'Troll In Chief' and reply back with facts. Moitra tweeted: “Wish BJP would hire a Troll In Chief with IQ >single digits. Bachhan ji is Bengal’s “jamai” - he knows the soil of his 2nd home is the land of the free & home of the brave. He chose KIFF’s platform to denounce BJP’s boycotts & bans in the arts. Duh…."
On Malviya's comment, TMC Lok Sabha MP and actress Nussrat Jahan too jumped into the fray and said that tyrannical rule involves banning movies, detaining journalists and punishing citizens for speaking the truth. She said: “All this under the BJP regime while Mr @amitmalviya is busy accusing others of the same.”
Trinamool leader Saket Gokhale also joined the fight and asserted that the Bollywood megastar could express himself freely in Bengal in Banerjee’s presence and not in Delhi or Mumbai.
Later, Malviya also attacked Mamata Banerjee, saying that she always belittles successful Bengalis. He wrote: “Mamata Banerjee didn’t invite superstar Mithun Chakraborty, son of Bengal, for the Kolkata Film Festival. She had similarly appointed Shahrukh as the brand ambassador of Bengal and not Saurav, one of the finest cricketers Bengal has seen."
He again tweeted a video clip of singer Arijit Singh singing “Rang de toh mohe gerua”. Malviya said that from Bachchan to Arijit, everybody knows that the future of Bengal is saffron. “At the Kolkata Film Festival, Mamata Banerjee asked Arijit Singh to sing one of his favourites and he chose रंग दे तू मोहे गेरुआ… It was an evening of realisations. From Mr Bachchan to Arijit, who reminded Mamata Banerjee, in her backyard, that the future of Bengal is saffron…"