Chennai : Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday tendered an apology to lady journalist, whom he patted on the cheek at the end of a press conference in Chennai. The incident that took place on Tuesday infuriated the media community that went on a warpath even as opposition DMK went for the jugular.

The Governor sent a letter to the journalist Lakshmi Subramanian in which he said “I wish to express my regret and my apologies to assuage your sentiments that have been hurt. I suppose you will respond through a mail of acknowledgement”.

The journalist accepted receipt of the apology letter. Confirming this Governor Purohit said “you had asked a question when we had got up and were proceeding to leave after the close of the Press Conference.I considered that question to be a good one. Therefore, as an act of appreciation for the question that you had posed, I gave a pat on your cheek considering you to be like my granddaughter.”

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The Governor maintained that he had patted her on her cheek with affection and to express his appreciation of her performance as a journalist.

“I do understand from your mail that you are feeling hurt about the incident. I wish to express my regret and my apologies to assuage your sentiments that have been hurt. I suppose you will respond through a mail of acknowledgement,” Purohit said in his letter.

The journalist said though she accepted the apology she was not convinced of his explanation.

The incident sparked off a furore with journalists and opposition politicians condemned the Governor and sought apology from him. The media persons also submitted a written memorandum seeking his apology on Wednesday.

The Governor met the media to deny allegations linking him to a sex scandal at a leading university in the state.

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