Bachchan-Shotgun standoff resurfaces

KANPUR: Launching a broadside against Amitabh Bachchan for appearing in a controversial advertisement promoting Uttar Pradesh’s ruling Samajwadi Party, BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha alleged that the megastar had featured in the commercial only because of his “love for money”.

Referring to Bachchan’s appearance in the advertisement “UP men hai dam, jurm hai kam” (UP has power because of less crime), Sinha said he could not claim that there were fewer crimes in Bihar during former chief minister Lalu Prasad’s tenure than in Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav’s rule in UP.

“If Bachchan had love for UP, he would have never appeared in such an advertisement. But since he has love for money, he is appearing in such advertisements for his birthplace just like (actor) Aamir Khan does advertisements for Coca-Cola,” he said.

Sinha was here for campaigning BJP candidates contesting the UP assembly elections. He said despite being a Bihari by heart, mind and birth, he could not claim that
‘Bihar main hai dam, jurm hai kam.’ “In fact there are fewer crimes in Bihar now than during Lalu Prasad’s rule,” he said.

Sinha said Bachchan’s ad for his native place were no different from his commercials for various products. He said even after the Nithari serial killings, Bachchan had said there were few crimes in UP. Whether this was right or wrong could be decided by Bachchan’s “inner soul”, Sinha said.