TMC’s Kirti Azad tenders apology

SHILLONG, Dec 23: After facing a severe backlash, Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad on Friday tendered an apology for his mocking remarks on the Khasi traditional attire worn by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to the state.
“My recent tweet was misconstrued. It hurt sentiments of the people. To them I say sorry. I have immense respect and pride for our diverse cultures. I regret the hurt caused by my unintentional remark,” he tweeted.
The former cricketer and BJP turned TMC leader had set Twitterati on rage by tweeting a photoshopped image of the Prime on December 21. Azad commented that PM Modi was wearing a woman’s dress during his recent visit to Shillong by using a photograph of him dressed in a traditional attire of Meghalaya’s indigenous tribes.
Kirti Azad added a derogatory caption to this image when he shared it on Twitter. “It’s neither male nor female,” wrote Kirti Azad. It’s just the fashion priest,” Azad said, indirectly referring to the Prime Minister.
Reiterating his pledge to work and uphold the constitutional values always, he said, “As a soldier of the party, I have always followed the path laid down by our Constitution which calls for respecting and honouring our diversity. Anything that appears like an inadvertent digression from that path is absolutely regrettable”.
He further added, “Upon reflecting on the concerns raised by the people, I reiterate my pledge to work towards upholding our constitutional values at every step. @AITCofficial has always respected people from varied backgrounds and I wholeheartedly espouse the values followed by our leaders.”