Bollywood stars Sanjay Dutt and Suniel Shetty have taken it unto themselves to dispel the fear among consumers about eating chicken and eggs since a strain of bird flu hit the poultry of the neighbouring countries.

"I eat chicken and I relish it as I did before. I won't tell people to eat chicken that is infected, but we all know that in India no case of bird flu has been reported and eating chicken and eggs is safe," Dutt said addressing a press conference in Chandigarh.

Blaming the media for the scare among consumers, both Dutt and Shetty said being body builders they had not given up their daily diet that also comprises chicken and eggs. "You (media) should educate people and make them aware. We may not have any deaths due to the Avian flu virus, but surely if the phobia about eating chicken or eggs is not dispelled, we may see poultry farmers committing suicides," Shetty said.

Punjab's Animal Husbandry Minister Jagmohan Singh Kang and Secretary of the Department D S Jaspal also addressed the press meet organised by the National Egg Coordination Committee and Poultry Development Promotion Council.