MUMBAI: The chief of the Indian political party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Raj Thackeray has targeted Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar and said that he was a Canadian citizen.
The MNS chief, while addressing at a rally in central Mumbai on Sunday, also said that films such as “Toilet Ek Prem Katha” and “Padman” were a covert propaganda for government schemes.
Thackeray said that Akshay Kumar, who starred in both the films, was trying to walk in the footsteps of yesteryear actor Manoj Kumar, popularly known as ‘Bharat Kumar’ due to his films on nationalist and patriotic themes.
“Akshay Kumar is not even an Indian citizen, even though he propagates everything about India. He holds a Canadian passport and his Wikipedia profile describes him as Indian-born Canadian actor,” Thackeray said.
“Padman and Toilet Ek Prem Katha are sponsored by the government itself, these movies were clandestine propaganda for government schemes.”
During the course of his speech Thackeray also said, “I have nothing against Akshay Kumar. He is a good actor; his work is good.”
Thackeray also questioned the government’s decision to accord state funeral to actress Sridevi after her death last month. “Sridevi was a great actor, but what had she done for the country so that her body should have been wrapped in the tricolor?” he asked.
He alleged that the media may have covered her funeral extensively at government’s behest to divert people’s attention from the Punjab National Bank scam.
“When a person like Sridevi dies, you wrap her in tricolor and you say you did that because she was a Padma Shri. It was said that Sridevi died by drowning in the bath tub as she consumed too much liquor.”
Akshay Kumar has close ties to Canada and has taken Canadian citizenship, but is regarded as overseas citizen as the Indian constitution prohibits full dual citizenship.
However, last year when Akshay was asked about his Canadian citizenship he said, “It was a immensely proud feeling when I was offered Canadian citizenship.”
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