Congress says Narendra Modi is 'frustrated', after he defended Amitabh Bachchan

Congress today made light of Narendra Modi's defence of Amitabh Bachchan dubbing him as a "frustrated" chief minister in the wake of his marathon questioning by the SIT in connection with a post-Godhara riots case.

"I can understand Modi is feeling very, very frustrated because for the first time in 63 years, a chief minister elected by the people of the country is being made to stand before the Special Investigating Team for about 10 hours in a question and answer session," Union minister and senior Congress leader Ambika Soni said on the sidelines of a function by Seva Dal, a party wing, in New Delhi.

"This has apparently frustrated him to use the word Taliban in a light and flippant manner. Those who have been victims of Taliban, know what Taliban is. He has used the word Taliban so lightly. He should make such statements with some seriousness," she said.

Soni was replying to a volley of questions on the remark of the Gujarat chief minister suggesting that those objecting to Amitabh Bachchan's presence at a government function are "Talibans of untouchability".

Modi alleged that an anti-Gujarat game plan behind the opposition and the controversy over senior Bachchan stood exposed now. "These 'Talibans of Untouchability' have lost all their sensibilities in their pursuit of anti-Gujarat attitudes," he added.

Writing on his blog, Modi described 67-year-old Bachchan as a great artiste with legendary humility and even taller achievements who has chosen to celebrate the glorious heritage of Gujarat even while facing a lot of criticism from many quarters.

"He (Modi) keeps on saying so many things, why is it necessary to give a reply to whatever he says," Soni said when pressed further on the issue.