Mumbai, Feb. 2: Amitabh Bachchan might be freezing in Shimla, but the heat is on the actor in Mumbai.
Bachchan has been caught in a political crossfire with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray accusing the star of taking more interest in home state Uttar Pradesh than Maharashtra, and the Samajwadi Party's Amar Singh responding in kind.
"The whole country loves superstar Amitabh Bachchan. Even I admire him as an artiste. But when he got an opportunity to contest elections for the first time, he chose Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh over Mumbai. When it came to promoting a state as its brand ambassador, he chose Uttar Pradesh. When it came to acting in non-Hindi cinema, he chose Bhojpuri films," Raj asked at a party meeting last evening.
The Shiv Sena rebel, who has been toeing his parent party's Maharashtra-is-for-Maharashtrians line, added: "If such a big star is so fond of his home state, why can't Raj Thackeray love his Maharashtra?"
Hours later, Amar dismissed the tirade as a publicity gimmick.
"He is taking the name of a big person for stunt. Neither is he a national leader, nor does he hold any constitutional post. By taking the name of Bachchan, he is popularising himself," the Samajwadi leader, who calls the star his elder brother, told reporters.
A handful of Navnirman supporters stormed the news meet and began chanting slogans. As they were forced out, Amar brushed aside the interruption and continued with his spirited defence of north Indians in Mumbai.
"If they stop working, taxis in this city will stop. If they stop working, milk won't be distributed and people will not find vegetables. They don't need Raj Thackeray's permission to come to Mumbai. The Constitution gives the right to citizens to earn a living anywhere in the country."
Amar urged the state government to take cognisance of Raj's comments.
State Congress chief Gurudas Kamat condemned Raj's "disparaging" remarks. "We have urged chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and deputy chief minister R.R. Patil to take the strictest possible action against Thackeray," he said.
Raj's growing intolerance towards north Indians echoes the sentiments of uncle Bal Thackeray, from whose party he had split following differences with cousin Uddhav.
Raj ad earlier this week raised objections to Chhat puja celebrations in the city. It evoked sharp protests from north Indian leaders, including Lalu Prasad. Ram Vilas Paswan today demanded Raj's arrest.
The nephew, however, found support in his estranged uncle's party. Sena MP Sanjay Raut told news channels in Pune that his party agreed with Raj that as a Mumbaikar, Bachchan's loyalties should lie with Maharashtra.
The Sena stand might surprise Bachchan, a close friend of the party boss. The actor had on January 19 launched a music album based on the poems of Thackeray's grandson Aditya.
There was no reaction from Bachchan, who is shooting in snow-laden Shimla.
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