Actor Imran Khan’s participation in the Mumbai protest on October 10 has drawn a sharp response from BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya, who has demanded the actor’s deportation, claiming he is a US citizen.
Somaiya has also urged Mumbai Police to verify Khan’s citizenship and questioned whether a foreign national should be taking part in a political agitation.
Read Full Story"Actor Imran Khan should be deported immediately (sic)," Somaiya wrote in an X post, calling for the police to check the actor’s citizenship status.
What was the Mumbai protest about?
The controversy has also put actor Imran Khan back in the spotlight, with his participation in the protest drawing fresh attention beyond the political row.
Actor Imran Khan’s participation in the Mumbai protest on October 10 has drawn a sharp response from BJP leader and former MP Kirit Somaiya, who has demanded the actor’s deportation, claiming he is a US citizen. Somaiya has also urged Mumbai Police to verify Khan’s citizenship and questioned whether a foreign national should be taking part in a political agitation.
The demand came a day after Khan and his girlfriend, Lekha Washington, were among more than 400 people detained during the Saturday protest at August Kranti Maidan against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
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"Actor Imran Khan should be deported immediately (sic)," Somaiya wrote in an X post, calling for the police to check the actor’s citizenship status.
See his post here:
Khan, however, said he was there as a Mumbai resident, not as a representative of any political group.
"I don't have demands. I am here as a citizen, as someone who lives in this city," he said, questioning restrictions on freedom of movement and the suppression of people’s voices. He added that he wasn’t part of any organisation and had come in his capacity as a citizen.
What was the Mumbai protest about?
The gathering was called by author Tushar Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson, in support of the Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms’ demand for Kumar’s resignation. The protest centred on concerns around the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and allegations of voter-list manipulation. Tushar Gandhi was also detained while travelling to the proposed protest site and was later released.
Mumbai Police said August Kranti Maidan wasn’t a designated protest venue under a Bombay High Court order, and that preventive action was taken to maintain law and order.
The controversy has also put actor Imran Khan back in the spotlight, with his participation in the protest drawing fresh attention beyond the political row. On Saturday evening, he had shared a photo from inside the police van that day, captioning it, "Apparently, I am going for a ride."
He was joined at the protest by his partner, Lekha Washington, and cousin Zayn Marie Khan, who later posted videos showing injuries they sustained during the detention. The episode sparked a wave of renewed affection for the actor online, with fans once again calling him "Ranjhore ka Rathore", his much-loved character from Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na.
See his post here:
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) had also called for a demonstration on the same day at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar over voter registration rules and changes related to Form 6.
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