Shatrughan Sinha has defended his comments and clarified that he was not taking a jibe at Akshay Kumar when he slammed celebrities for making their donations during the coronavirus pandemic public. 

In a recent interview, Shatrughan said, "When I made that statement, I didn’t have Akshay Kumar in mind. People came to their conclusion because Akshay has given Rs 25 crore for the virus-affected. I would never target Akshay for any taunt. He is not only my daughter Sonakshi’s leading man but also a dear family friend. We visit one another socially."

Shatrughan also showered praises on Akshay for setting an example for everyone by giving back to society. "He is constantly tapping into his stardom to do good for the needy and the underprivileged. Whenever there is a cause, he’s always at the forefront to help. His generosity and concern for the downtrodden is an example to all of us," the veteran actor-turned-politician said.

Fans were quick to assume that the comment was directed at Akshay, who has contributed Rs 25 crore to the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-Cares) fund. Shatrughan’s daughter Sonakshi Sinha seems to believe in the same idea of keeping charitable gestures under the radar. After several Bollywood stars announced their contributions to PM-Cares fund and other coronavirus relief funds, she was trolled for not doing so.

Replying to trolls, she wrote on Twitter, "Minute of silence for trolls who think that just because it wasn’t announced,contributions weren’t made.Neki kar dariya mein daal,suna toh hoga?Kuch log actually follow karte hai!Ab shaant ho jao & use ur time 2 do some actual good(announcing or not is a personal preference)."