Amitabh Bachchan Amitabh Bachchan

Filmstar Amitabh Bachchan has clarified that he is not associated with any advertisement film of the Narendra Modi government.

There were reports that the 72-year-old actor would feature in a TV ad which seeks to ask Indians to rise above religion for inclusive development. Bachchan took to Twitter to set the record straight. Bachchan has, however, been the brand ambassador of many government campaigns, including polio eradication, saving the tiger and Swachh India campaign.

Reports of Bachchan featuring in the ad campaign had taken a political colour, with the Congress taking potshots at the government. "Now the crow is imitating the swan's movement. All this camouflaging, all this gimmickry and advertising will not substitute what the government has done on issues like conversion," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said on Wednesday.

Singhvi was reacting to questions on media reports that while MoS Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is set to tour areas which have a high minority population, Bachchan has been roped in for an ad film that stresses the need to rise above religion and caste for inclusive development and growth of education. Reports suggested that the advertisement was expected to be out by Republic Day.

