Stars say they went to Saifai for charity

MUMBAI: Under all round criticism, Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit on Thursday justified their participation in the UP government’s cultural event in Saifai village, saying they were there for charity.

The government and the stars are facing public criticism for the extravaganza at the ancestral village of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, at a time when Muzaffarnagar riot victims are suffering.

Salman, who drew the ire of online users with many tweeting to boycott his upcoming release ‘Jai Ho’, said his charity organisation Being Human has donated Rs 25 lakh to the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College & Hospital in the state. “Whenever I visit a place for a performance or a promotion, I see it as an opportunity to help the locals in the areas of healthcare or education...”