The Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna launched a scathing attack on Aamir Khan over his recent remark on growing intolerance in the country and questioned the Bollywood actor's patriotism.
"If India is not safe for living, then which country is 'Idiot Ranchoddas' (Aamir's character in the movie 3-Idiots) planning to go? Is it Pakistan, Afghanistan, Paris, Brussels or Mali? He should declare at earliest. Those who do not feel that the country is theirs should stop pretending to be patriots," the Saamna editorial said.
Stating that the nation has given Aamir name and fame, the article published in Saamna criticised the Bollywood actor for saying that his wife had suggested moving out of the country due to prevailing situation in the country.
The editorial asserted that instead of standing firmly with the country in difficult times, Khan was thinking of leaving.
The article further asked the actor that how could the nation possibly be intolerant, when his movie PK, which 'mocked' certain Hindu traditions, amassed crores at the box office.
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Questioning the actor's 'contribution' to the nation, the Shiv Sena mouthpiece said all Aamir had done till now was mint money through his movies and make 'absurd' statements in the name of 'freedom of speech'.
The editorial added that Aamir was free to leave the nation if he wants, but asked him to leave behind all his earnings from his movies.
Speaking at the eighth edition of the Ramnath Goenka excellence in journalism awards on Monday, Aamir had expressed "alarm" and despondency over the rise in such cases "in the last six to eight months" and even said that his wife thought of leaving the country.
Aamir said that a sense a sense of "insecurity" and "fear" had seeped deep within society.
"When I chat with Kiran at home, she says should we move out of India? That's a disastrous and big statement for Kiran to make. She fears for her child. She fears about what the atmosphere around us will be. She feels scared to open the newspapers every day," said Aamir.