Akshay Kumar says he holds a Canadian passport
Akshay Kumar is currently under the public scrutiny because of his recent “apolitical” interview with Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and consequently, for not being able to vote because of his choice of citizenship.
The ‘PadMan’ actor has been the subject of a lot of trolling and his absence from the polling booths led people to claim that the reason behind this is his alleged Canadian citizenship.
Akshay Kumar on Friday said that he has never tried to hide that he holds a Canadian passport and he was disappointed his citizenship was “constantly dragged into needless controversy”.
“While all these years, I have never needed to prove my love for India to anyone, I find it disappointing that my citizenship issue is constantly dragged into needless controversy, a matter that is personal, legal, non-political, and of no consequence to others,” he said in a statement on Twitter.
Recently, a video clip shared on Twitter showed that actor dodging a question about casting his vote in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
In the video clip, a journalist is seen trying to elicit a response from Akshay Kumar on the criticism he gets for being unable to vote, and is cut short when the actor starts walking away without a response.
In 2017, Akshay Kumar had told Times Now that during the promotion of a movie he was bestowed with honorary citizenship by the Canadian government. Both Houses of the Parliament of Canada have to pass a resolution for a person to be granted honorary citizenship.
Akshay Kumar full statement on his Canadian citizenship controversy
I really don’t understand the unwarranted interest and negativity about my citizenship. I have never hidden or denied that I hold a Canadian passport. It is also equally true that I have not visited Canada in the last seven years. I work in India, and pay all my taxes in India. While all these years, I have never needed to prove my love for India to anyone, I find it disappointing that my citizenship issue is constantly dragged into needless controversy, a matter that is personal, legal, non-political, and of no consequence to others. I would like to continue contributing in my small way to the causes that I believe in and make India stronger and stronger.
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