COVID-19: Amitabh Bachchan donates Rs. 2cr, but not to PM-CARES
Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan has donated Rs. 2 crore to Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur COVID-19 care facility at Rakab Ganj Gurdwara in Delhi. This was announced by the president of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management committee. According to them, Bachchan has also helped in arranging oxygen cylinders. Meanwhile, netizens had a meme-fest over Big B not donating to the PM-CARES Fund. We dive in!
According to the President of the Gurdwara panel, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who is also the spokesperson of Akali Dal, the senior actor apparently had called Sikhs "legendary," and saluted their acts of service, while making the donation. "While Delhi was grappling for Oxygen, Amitabh Ji called me almost daily to enquire about the progress of this Facility (sic)," Sirsa's tweet further said.
“Sikhs are Legendary
— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) May 9, 2021
सिखों की सेवा को सलाम”
These were the words of @SrBachchan Ji when he contributed ₹2 Cr to Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Covid Care Facility
While Delhi was grappling for Oxygen, Amitabh Ji called me almost daily to enquire about the progress of this Facility@ANI pic.twitter.com/ysOccz28Fl
Calling the actor a "real-life hero," Sirsa revealed that Bachchan was vigilant so that the oxygen concentrators get shipped from abroad and reach the facility on time. "You don't have to worry about the money, just make sure we can save as many lives as possible," the Gurdwara president quoted Big B. Bachchan's donation, along with others' efforts, are going to see fruition soon.
The COVID-19 care facility is set to open from today. In a separate tweet, Sirsa said that the care center will have 300 beds, oxygen concentrators that are going to be functional from 2 pm. On the other hand, the veteran actor's call to donate to a gurdwara and not Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund has amused Twitterati.
Netizens thought Bachchan was correct to directly donate to a gurdwara, instead of the PM-CARES fund that has invited several controversies ever since its inception. A Twitter user said the actor decided "wisely" as "there is no clarity about the usages of PM Care fund." Memes took center ground about Bachchan not trusting the fund. Previously, celebrities including Akshay Kumar have donated to PM-CARES.
While PM-CARES has been set up by the Central government, the fund documents are classified as private trust's. It was registered under the Registration Act, 1908, and created to battle national emergencies like the current pandemic. Opposition leaders have questioned its need in the past.
