Mamata hits out at Aamir's critics

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday backed Aamir Khan amid the ongoing controversy over his remarks on growing intolerance and slammed the right-wing groups for asking the Bollywood star to leave the country.

"Aamir Khan has said what he felt as an Indian. Who are you to tell him to leave the country?..The country belongs to everyone," Banerjee said at a function here.

"Who are you to tell us to go to Pakistan or what to wear or what to eat?... This is our country, it belongs to everyone. This is our 'janmabhoomi, karmabhoomi'," she added.

Asserting that India is a secular country, the TMC supremo further said that her government will protect the people of all faiths without any discrimination.

"I do not fear death. Death will come to all one day. I believe keeping my head held high and practicing fearless politics," she added.

The Shiv Sena had earlier lashed out at Aamir over his remark and asked him to declare as to which country he would like to settle in.

"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," an article in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna said.

Speaking at the eighth edition of the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards, Aamir had earlier expressed alarm and despondency over the rise in cases displaying intolerance in the last six to eight months.

He had said that a sense of 'insecurity' and 'fear' had seeped deep within society.

"When I go home and talk to Kiran (Aamir's wife), for the first time she says, 'Should we move out of India?'" Khan said.

The actor, however, clarified yesterday that neither he nor his wife Kiran have any intention of leaving the country as he is proud to be an Indian.