PTI

Mumbai, Feb 7: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Wednesday came out in defence of Amitabh Bachchan, dismissing as 'stupidity' the attack on the actor by his estranged nephew Raj Thackeray heading a splinter Sena outfit.

"The allegations are nothing but stupidity", Thackeray said in a statement, deriding the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief's allegation that Bachchan always gave priority to Uttar Pradesh over Maharashtra, sparking attacks on North Indians in the city and some parts of the state.

"Amitabh is Amitabh. He should ignore such allegations", 82-year-old Thackeray said.

"Amitabh is a family friend. The friendship goes back 40 years during which it has not ever diminished," Thackeray said.

Terming Bachchan as a global superstar who is respected all over the world, the Sena supremo said the actor has always expressed his gratitude to Mumbai and the people for giving him fame.

Samajwadi Party leader and Bachchan's family friend Amar Singh had recently sought to attribute Raj Thackeray's tirade against Bachchan to his being jealous of the star attending an album release function of Aditya, son of Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray.

Raj parted ways with Shiv Sena in 2005, following differences with Uddhav and formed MNS in 2006.