Never denied Canadian citizenship, claims Akshay Kumar, contradicting himself

Following Cinestaan.com's report yesterday, citing Canadian government records, that Akshay Kumar’s name does not figure on the list of chosen few personalities to have received honorary citizenship of Canada, the actor today admitted he is a full citizen of the North American country.

This also confirms that Akshay Kumar is no longer an Indian citizen, something netizens have been suggesting for a while and the chatter around which increased after the Kesari (2019) star, contrary to his patriotic image, did not vote in the general election for the seventeenth Lok Sabha though his wife, actress-turned-humour columnist Twinkle Khanna, did.

The list of six personalities honoured with citizenship of Canada is available on the official website of Canada's prime minister. The list includes Burmese political leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose honour was subsequently withdrawn for her failure to prevent the atrocities by the Burmese military on Rohingya Muslims in the country.

Now, Akshay Kumar has come out and admitted that he is indeed a full Canadian citizen, in a statement released to the media and on social media. 

“I really don’t understand the unwarranted interest and negativity about my citizenship," Akshay Kumar complained in his statement. "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.”

The Khiladi (1992) star also expressed displeasure at having to constantly prove his love for 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," he further said in his statement. "I would like to continue contributing in my small way to the causes that I believe in and make India stronger and stronger.”

However, in his latest statement, Akshay Kumar has conveniently forgotten his own claims in the past. On more than one occasion, the actor had said he was just an 'honorary' citizen of Canada and not an actual one.

At a press conference to announce the success of his film Jolly LLB 2 in 2017, when asked whether he was a Canadian citizen, Akshay Kumar said, “That is honorary. That is not that what you think.” (This reporter was present at the event.)

Later that year, he spoke in some detail about his citizenship row during an interview with the Times Now news channel and again stated that he was just an 'honorary' citizen of Canada. “About the Canadian thing, I am an honorary citizen," Akshay Kumar said. "I have been given an honorary thing. I think it’s a thing that people should be proud about. I have a doctorate as well but that doesn’t make me a doctor. This is what I have to [make people] understand.”

Now, of course, it is out in the open that Akshay Kumar has acquired Canadian citizenship and not had it bestowed upon him as an honour by the government.