Mamata Banerjee ties Rakhi to 'Bharat Ratna' Amitabh Bachchan, invites him to attend Durga Puja, Kolkata Film Festival

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday met Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan's residence in Mumbai and tied him rakhi. She is in Mumbai to attend the third meeting of the opposition alliance, INDIA. Banerjee called Bachchan a 'Bharat Ratna' and invited him to attend Durga Puja and Kolkata Film Festival. 

Speaking on her meeting with Amitabh Bachchan, Banerjee said: "I am happy today. I met 'Bharat Ratan' of India Amitabh Bachchan and also tied him rakhi. I love this family. They are the number one family in India and they have a lot of contributions also...I also invited him to attend Durga Puja and International Film Festival."

In December last year, Amitabh Bachchan attended the Kolkata International Film Festival where Mamata Banerjee was also present. His comments on 'civil liberties and freedom of expression' sparked a massive debate on social media. During his address, Bachchan spoke on British censorship, pre-independence films against oppressors, communalism, and societal harmony. 

"The 1952 Cinematograph Act set out the stricter 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," Big B said.

Reacting to this, BJP's IT Cell head Amit Malviya said that the superstar's words couldn't have been more prophetic since they were spoken in Kolkata, with 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..."

Replying to him, TMC MP and spokesperson Saket Gokhale said: "Mr. Bachchan’s words were about the current situation in our country under Modi & Shah. He could express them freely in Bengal in the presence of the tigress @MamataOfficial & not in Delhi or Mumbai. But well - a fake news coolie like you doesn’t have the IQ to comprehend that."