Kumar Vishwas sorry for remarks against Kerala nurses

Kochi, Jan 22: Aam Admi Party (AAP) Executive Member Kumar Vishwas, whose alleged derogatory remarks against Kerala nurses sparked a controversy, today tendered an apology, saying it was never his intention to hurt the feelings of any one.

In a statement sent to the AAP's Kerala unit, he said he had never tried to 'intentionally hurt the sentiments of anyone'.

"It has come to my knowledge that an old video-clip of one of my Kavi-Sammelan has hurt the feelings of many of my friends residing in Kerala. I must say that I don't appreciate any discrimination based on religion, region, gender, caste or creed. I never tried to intentionally hurt the sentiments of anyone", he stated.

Viswas said jokes delivered in a kavi-sammelan are scripted and presented in a jocular and lighthearted manner without an intention to harm anybody's feelings. "But if some words of mine have hurt the sentiments of my friends, I apologise to them from depth of my heart", he said.

Yesterday, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had demanded an apology from the APP leader for his remarks.

In a letter to AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Chandy had wanted him to prevail upon Vishwas to withdraw the remarks and tender an apology.

"It is most unfortunate that the Aam Aadmi Party is tightlipped regarding the derogatory remarks on Malayalee nurses," he had said.

The comments of Vishwas against Malayali nurses made in a speech at Ranchi in 2008, uploaded in a social networking site recently, had sparked strong protests across the state, with Youth Congress workers ransacking AAP's office here on January 20.

AAP Kerala unit spokesperson K P Rateesh also apologised to the people of the state for the remarks. 'AAP has the highest respect for Malayali nurses', he said.