Jaya alleges Maya using Amitabh’s name

Bhopal, Apr 01: In a stinging attack on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, Samajwadi Party Member of Parliament Jaya Bachchan on Tuesday accused her of pursuing action against her husband Amitabh Bachchan only for ‘cheap publicity’. Ms Bachchan, who arrived to campaign for her party for the Lok Sabha by-election from Betul constituency, told reporters here that her husband was being dragged into the Barabanki land allotment controversy due to this intention.

She was accompanied by SP General Secretary Amar Singh and actress-MP Jayaprada. “Some people attempt to hog the limelight in media by heaping praises on my husband, while others criticise him with the same intention,” she said. On being pointed out that Amitabh had performed in an advertisement as a brand ambassador of Uttar Pradesh and hence he has to provide reply in the matter, the SP leader said, ''I am also a journalist's daughter. An appropriate reply would be given on the charges levelled against my husband.” The state capital is the hometown of Ms Bachchan. Her father late Tarun Kumar Bhadudi was recognised as a veteran journalist in Madhya Pradesh.

Her remarks came a day after the Barabanki district authorities issued a notice to the superstar accusing him of undervaluing the stamp duty on a plot of land he bought in the area. Additional District Magistrate (Finance) of Barabanki Shirish Dubey issued the notice accusing Bachchan of violating relevant sections of the Indian Stamp Duty Act on the basis of a report filed to him by Tehsildar of Barabanki Anil Kumar.