Rahul Gandhi backs Aamir, gives problem handling lessons to BJP

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday voiced his support for Bollywood actor Aamir Khan and lashed out at the BJP-led NDA Government for not handling the problems confronting the nation in the 'right way'.

"Instead of branding all those who question the Govt and Modiji - as unpatriotic, anti national or 'motivated', the Govt would do better to reach out to people to understand what's disturbing them," he wrote in a series of tweets.

"That's the way to solve problems in India- not by bullying, threatening & abusing!" he added.

Reminding Aamir of his 'Incredible India' campaign days, the BJP earlier said that the former was free to express his opinion and added that India will love her people 'Qayamat se Qayamat tak'.

"We all love Aamir Khan. He is a great actor, who makes even greater movies. But it's hard to agree with him when he says that India is intolerant. This is an 'Incredible India' which can never be intolerant. 'Qayamat se Qayamat tak' (forever and ever) India will love her people," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told ANI here.

Questioning the actor, who had been the face of the 'Incredible India' campaign, Patra asked as to how could the nation which treated outsiders like gods, hurt her own people.

"Serving outsiders like gods is part of our culture. Aamir said this himself. Then how can India hurt its own citizens? I request him to not leave the nation as we won't find a country like India anywhere, that loves him so much," Patra added.

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

He had said that a sense 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.