• Wion
  • /India News
  • /Tamil Nadu governor apologises to journalist for patting her on cheek, claims she's like 'granddaughter'

Tamil Nadu governor apologises to journalist for patting her on cheek, claims she's like 'granddaughter'

Tamil Nadu governor apologises to journalist for patting her on cheek, claims she's like 'granddaughter'

Banwarilal Purohit

Story highlights

The journalist, Lakshmi, tweeted that she accepted the Governor's apology, but said that she was not convinced of his reasoning.

Under fire for patting the cheek of a woman journalist, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday tendered an apology to her.

The 78-year-old governor had patted Lakshmi Subramanian on the cheek when he was about to leave the venue of a press conference, triggering an outrage by the journalist fraternity and opposition parties, including the DMK.

In a letter to Subramanian, the governor said he patted her out of "affection" and "appreciation" of her performance as a journalist.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

"I gave a pat on your cheek considering you to be like my granddaughter. It was done with affection and to express my appreciation for your performance as a journalist," he said.

Referring to the mail the journalist, who works for an English weekly, had sent to him, Purohit said,"I do understand from your mail that you are feeling hurt about the incident."

Purohit said he, therefore, wished to "express my regret and my apologies to assuage your sentiments that have been hurt."