Akshay Kumar was in Delhi University on Monday to promote his upcoming release PadMan. The actor was present at a women’s marathon event which was organised as a mark of women’s empowerment keeping with the theme of his film. The marathon was also a space where participants joined their voices together to demand for a tax-exemption on sanitary napkins.

However, the seemingly non-political and social cause driven event got a political tone when Akshay Kumar went on to use a flag belonging to the BJP’s youth wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) to kick-off the marathon. Akshay tweeted a picture of him flagging off the marathon with the message:

"“Flagged off Delhi University’s Women Marathon. These lovely ladies are taking the cause of women empowerment forward and running for tax-free sanitary pads #PadManInDelhi”" - Akshay Kumar (Twitter)

Flagged off Delhi University's Women Marathon. These lovely ladies are taking the cause of women empowerment forward and running for tax-free sanitary pads ?? #PadManInDelhi pic.twitter.com/b3v8VKNVmJ — Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) January 22, 2018

Here are some of the tweets from those who felt that it was totally out of place for Akshay to use the ABVP flag at a non-political event to promote his film. They also felt that by holding the right-wing group’s flag, Akshay was backing their alleged policy of hatred towards minorities and anti-feminist stand.

Hello @akshaykumar,



How will you feel if in Canada, a Canadian celebrity waves flag of an organization which is proponent of white supremacy & hates minorities? Will you ever want to watch his movies? pic.twitter.com/Q8e0SY4ev8



— Jas Oberoi (@iJasOberoi) January 23, 2018

Irony must have died to see Mr. @akshaykumar promoting the "cause of women empowerment and tax-free sanitary pads" with ABVP flag in his hand? https://t.co/gkJf1lkvmD — Anupam (@AnupamConnects) January 22, 2018

So, @akshaykumar you found ABVP the most appropriate platform for promoting #PadMan? Quite opportunist. Don't you know they are the one who stand up against women's free choice in campuses? @mrsfunnybones would really like to know your opinion. You are the story writer. — sucheta de (@sucheta_ml) January 22, 2018

Mr. @akshaykumar is a Canadian citizen. In Canada, members of minorities, such as Akshay Kumar himself, enjoy full civil, political and cultural rights. Back home, Mr. Kumar holds the flag of student wing of RSS which wants to wipe out minorities & gives rape threats to women! pic.twitter.com/Qk2bbj2Std — Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) January 23, 2018

Mr. @akshaykumar should be aware that RSS is a fascist organisation. The saffron flag signifies the desire to establish a Hindu rashtra. It signifies Hindu supremacy. RSS-ABVP engages in cultural terrorism. They attack women's choices. They attack seminars, discussions, etc. — Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) January 23, 2018

I wonder how Mr. @akshaykumar would feel if a celeb in his country Canada holds the flag of a white supremacist, fascist organization that wants to kill and drive out immigrants and non-whites. — Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) January 23, 2018

Akshay is known for his pro-government stance. The actor’s film, Toilet: Ek Prem Katha, in 2017 had a sequence that totally backed PM Narendra Modi’s demonetisation move. The Bollwood Khiladi had also met Modi in May last year to seek his blessings for the film.

Met PM @narendramodi and got the opportunity to tell him about my upcoming 'Toilet-Ek Prem Katha.' His smile at just the title made my day! pic.twitter.com/qbvYrlbM2Y — Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) May 9, 2017

Akshay’s wife and writer Twinkle Khanna, who’s quite vocal about her anti-right wing opinions had earlier tweeted that being married to someone does not mean that one also shares the same ideology with your partner. Clearly, Akshay is not hiding his political colours and the waving of the ABVP flag wasn’t an innocent act.

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