Two days after his absolutely shocking comments questioning the sacrifice of an Indian Army martyr, actor Om Puri, has now apologised for his statement. However, what his apology lacks is sincerity and smacks of the same high-handedness and insensitivity that has earned him the wrath of the people of India.
The veteran actor, who questioned whether a soldier martyred during a recent terror attack had been forced to join the Army, now says he is embarrassed.
Dramatically, almost venting anger, Puri says he deserves to be punished for his comments. During an interaction with media after the police complaint was filed, Om Puri reportedly said that he deserves punishment and not forgiveness. Tendering his apology to the martyrs’ family, he said that is embarrassed of his statement.
“I first apologise to his (an Uri attack martyr) family, if at all they will forgive me, I apologise to the whole country, the army. I know it’s not justified that you say so much and then think a sorry will make it right,” Om Puri said.
A few days ago during a TV debate, Om Puri in his bid to oppose the ban on Pakistani artists, said that no one forced the soldiers to join the Indian army. This comment of his drew falk from every quarter. He also got served with a police complaint for his comments.
“Did anybody force them (the soldiers) to join the army?,” he had said.
In a sign of extreme change of heart, the actor who now seeks strict punishment for himself, wants to be sent to the same war zone and perform the same duties that he emphatically ridiculed two days ago.
“The army should teach me how to use weapons and send me on the same site where that brave man was sacrificed himself for the country. I don’t want to be forgiven. I am pleading to the nation I want to be punished,” he added.
The 65-year old actor’s comment landed him legal trouble after a lawyer filed a police complaint against him on Tuesday. The cops, however, are probing the matter before filing an FIR on the complaint’s basis
