Click to play videoNew Delhi: After five days of verbal duel, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday decided to call it truce with the Bachchans.
In a packed press conference, Raj said, “After Amitabh's presser and his apology, we are withdrawing our agitation. Actually Jaya should have taken the press conference but as head of family he (Amitabh Bachchan) has come forward. It’s a victory of our cause for Marathi manoos.”
Actress and Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan, at a film function last week, had said, “We are from Uttar Pradesh and we will speak in Hindi—Maharashtrians will forgive us.” [Read story]
Thackeray heard it as an insult to all Maharashtrians and threatened to “ban” all films [Read story] of the Bachchan family in Mumbai and Maharashtra.
However, on Wednesday Jaya's superstar husband Amitabh Bachchan apologised and said, “We seek forgiveness. Thereafter, if the matter is still not settled, we have been told that there will be an investigation and we'll wait for the investigation results. If we are found guilty of any crime, punish us.” [Read story]
“We had no intention of hurting anyone. Jaya didn’t say anything with malice. If people feel that their sentiments have been hurt, we express our regret and we apologise,” Amitabh added.
Amitabh has earned MNS’ displeasure before. The MNS in February 2008 had accused Bachchan of not doing enough for Maharashtra and favouring his home state of Uttar Pradesh.
In an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN, Amitabh indicated it was his celebrity status which made him an easy prey for anybody who wanted to create a controversy.
“Somewhere because you are being identified; because you are of a certain status which is watched and is under a microscope, a certain amount of caution and care has to be exercised. I think anyone who is in public life or has celebrity status needs to do that every time. I have always explained that to my children, to everyone in my family and others too," he said.
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