26, Jan 2016

Jan 26, 2016 | PTI| mumbai
Bollywood actor Aamir Khan, whose “leaving India” comments linked to the “intolerance” debate had kicked up a huge controversy, on Monday said he never meant that he wanted to leave the country and asserted that India was intolerant. Asserting that no other country is as diverse as India, Aamir, 50, said, “I was born here and I will die here.”
Aamir’s comments came on a day when he came under fresh attack from fellow actor Akshay Kumar who said “ups and downs” happen in every nation and one should not start giving “bold” statements.
“I never said India was intolerant or I wanted to leave the country. I also understand the emotions of those who were hurt. I would like to say that my statement was misunderstood and to some extent media is responsible for it. I was born here and I will die here,” Aamir said at a press conference here on the eve of his 2006 superhit Rang De Basanti completing 10 years.
“Our country is diverse with so many languages, culture… No other country has so much diversity as India,” he said, adding, “Whenever I go abroad I can’t stay away from my country more than two weeks. I get homesick”.
Aamir’s statement last November that he was “alarmed” by a number of incidents and that his wife Kiran Rao even suggested that they should probably leave the country had triggered a nationwide outrage. He was recently replaced as the brand ambassador of “Incredible India” campaign.