Om Puri Apologises For Disrespectful Comments on Uri Martyrs

Om Puri is getting a lot of hate for his comment on Uri martyrs. (Photo courtesy: Twitter)

Om Puri has sought an apology for his statements of Uri attack martyrs, saying that he is ready for any case or punishment against himself, Times Now reported.

People have every right to react to this...twitter messages, abuses, whatever humiliation I deserve that for opening my mouth for without thinking and hurting the sentiments of the country, the army and the warrior soldiers. 

Om Puri, Actor

The actor emphasized that his comments should not go unpunished.

I am guilty and I deserve a punishment. I want to be tried by the army, I should be court martialled. I want a constructive punishment. 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.

Om Puri, Actor

Earlier on Tuesday, a police complaint was lodged against the actor for allegedly insulting the Army jawans with his remark during a TV debate. The complaint was filed at the Andheri police station in Mumbai.

Taking his argument favouring Pakistani artistes forward, actor Om Puri has crossed a line and has managed to enrage the entire nation. While the larger point he was making was ‘what good will it do to send Pakistani artistes back?’, but when a TV anchor on a popular news debate asked him ‘what about our martyrs?’, he responded by saying, “who asked them to join the army?”

The veteran actor went on to say that his father and other family members have served in the army, in an attempt to justify his quote. But social media erupted with hate right away.

Who had asked the soldiers to join the army? Who told them to pick up the weapons?

Om Puri, Actor

The veteran actor also asked other members in the debate whether they would like to see India and Pakistan become the next Palestine and Israel. With respect to Pakistani artistes, Om Puri maintained that they should not be asked to leave since they were not working in the country illegally and film producers will suffer huge losses if they are forced to leave.

Do you want India-Pakistan enmity to turn like Israel and Palestine, and fight for ages? India is home to crores of Muslims, there is no point in proving them for war. Several Indians have their relatives staying across the border and vice-versa, how can they fight a war with their cross-border families.

Om Puri

Om Puri was sharply criticised on the TV debate and off it on social media. Fellow actor Anupam Kher tweeted saying that he was deeply saddened by Puri’s disrespectful statement about our martyrs.

(With inputs from PTI)