"I have never hidden or denied that I hold a Canadian passport. I work in India, and pay all my taxes in India," Akshay Kumar has said in a statement, four days after he was found missing from the polling booths in Mumbai.



Akshay Kumar might be the perfect choice to play new-age Bharat Kumar on the big screen, but his absence from voting booths in the fourth phase of elections didn't go down too well with many. In no time, the actor, who wears patriotism on his sleeves, was trolled.

Now Akshay has released an official statement clarifying his Canadian citizenship. "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 Inda, and pay all my taxes in India," Akshay said in a statement.

He added, "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 and mnon-political, and of no consequence to others. Lastly, I would like to continue contributing in my small way to the causes that I believe in and make India stronger and stronger."

Recently, during the screening of Blank, Akshay was asked the reason behind his absence from polling booths in the Lok Sabha Elections 2019. But the actor did not let the reporter finish his question and said, "Chaliye, chaliye."

Apolitical Akshay Kumar's angry reaction when a reporter asked him reason for not casting his vote. pic.twitter.com/tlycPwWmDh Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) May 1, 2019

On April 29, Mumbai went to vote in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha polls. While most Bollywood stars including Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan cast their vote, Akshay Kumar was nowhere to be seen. Interestingly, his wife Twinkle Khanna shared her own poll selfie on Instagram, saying 'Vote India Vote'.

But now after much hullaballo, Akshay has said that he indeed holds a Canadian passport but his dil is Hindustani.

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