Bal Thackeray backs Bachchan

Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on Wednesday sprang to the defence of Amitabh Bachchan, numbing the campaign by his nephew and splinter sena leader Raj Thackeray against the star and North Indians as Mumbai limped back to normalcy after three days of violence.

With the Centre pressing the Maharashtra government to take immediate steps against those indulging in violence, the city police appealed to Raj to restrain the cadre of his party--Maharashtra Navnirman Sena(MNS)--from further fuelling the campaign against North Indians.

"The allegations are nothing but stupidity", Bal Thackeray said in a statement taking on Raj for his personal attack against Bachchan that the star always gave priority to Uttar Pradesh over Maharashtra triggering a war of words between the youth leader and Samajwadi that led to violence since Sunday.

"Amitabh is Amitabh..he should ignore such allegations", said Thackeray, who turned 82 last month.

"Amitabh is a family friend. The friendship goes back 40 years during which it has not even diminished.

Bachchan is a global superstar and is respected all over the world. He has always expressed his gratitude to Mumbai and the people for giving him fame," Thackeray said in comments exposing the divide in the Thackeray family.