Actor Siddharth has issued a public apology for using the ‘cock’ jibe against Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal. The Rang De Basanti star called Saina his ‘champion’ as he shared the apology.
Siddharth wrote, “Dear Saina, I want to apologise to you for my rude joke that I wrote as a response to a tweet of yours a few days ago. I may disagree with you on many things, but even my disappointment or anger when I read your tweet, cannot justify my tone and words. I know I have more grace in me than that. As for the jokeif a joke needs to be explained, then it wasn’t a very good joke to begin with. Sorry about a joke that didn’t land.”
He added, “I, however, must insist my word play and humour had none of the malicious intent that so many people from all quarters have attributed to it. I am a staunch feminist ally and I assure there was no gender implied in my tweet and certainly no intent to attack you as a woman. I hope we can put this behind us and that you will accept my letter. You will always be my Champion. Honestly, Siddharth.”
Dear @NSaina pic.twitter.com/plkqxVKVxY
— Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) January 11, 2022
Siddharth had courted controversy after he used the ‘cock’ jibe to slam Saina after the latter sensationally claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was attacked in Punjab. In reality, Modi’s convoy was stuck at a flyover due to protests by farmers in Bhatinda. Saina had tweeted, “No Nation can claim itself to be safe if the security of its own PM gets compromised. I condemn, in the strongest words possible, the cowardly attack on PM Modi by anarchists (sic).”
Reacting to Saina’s sensational claim, Siddharth had called the Olympic medallist a ‘subtle cock champion.’ He had written, “Subtle cock champion of the world… Thank God we have protectors of India. Shame on you #Rihanna.”
Siddharth’s ‘cock’ jibe had earned him the wrath of the National Commission for Women, which had asked police in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu to act against the actor. NCW chief Rekha Sharma had also asked Twitter to block Siddharth’s account.
Saina’s husband Parupalli Kashyap had reacted angrily saying that attack by Siddharth was deeply ‘upsetting.’ Saina’s father Harvir Singh Nehwal had demanded an apology from the actor.
Saina, who’s a BJP member, herself was quoted by news agency PTI as saying, “Yeah, I’m not sure what he meant. I used to like him as an actor but this was not nice. He can express himself with better words but I guess it’s Twitter and you remain noticed with such words and comments.”