Bengaluru-based Congress spokesperson and lake activist Kavitha Reddy on Sunday evening released a video and apologised for the incident involving Kannada film actor Samyuktha Hegde and her friends at the Agara Lake on Friday.
In a tweet, she said, “I have always opposed Moral Policing. I realize that my actions were construed as such. An argument ended up in me reacting aggressively as well, it was a mistake. As a responsible citizen n progressive woman, I own up to n sincerely apologise to @SamyukthaHegde and her Friends!”
I have always opposed Moral Policing. I realize that my actions were construed as such. An argument ended up in me reacting aggressively as well, it was a mistake. As a responsible citizen n progressive woman, I own up to n sincerely apologise to @SamyukthaHegde n her Friends! pic.twitter.com/pM9UJkWESC
— Kavitha Reddy (KR) Jai Bhim! (@KavithaReddy16) September 6, 2020
"I have stated my version of events and expressed regrets. And even though I did not physically hit or assault Samyukta’s friend, I still owe an unconditional apology for losing my temper irrespective of whatever the provocation was. Moral policing is something I have always opposed and it is unthinkable that I would make such regressive comments. With a lot of public around, there were a lot of heated arguments and commotion as well as out of context recordings the ugly incident should not have happened nor should be seen as political or moral policing," (sic) she said.
Initially, Kavitha had claimed that she was being wrongly blamed for “moral policing” the actor.
A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against her on Saturday morning at the HSR Layout Police Station based on the complaint by the actor.
As widely reported, Samyuktha and two of her friends had gone to the park to exercise with hula hoops. This was when Kavitha Reddy, a known face in the area had taken objection to Samyuktha’s choice of attire.
In an Instagram live by the actor on Friday, Kavitha Reddy can be heard saying that Samyuktha was 'indecently dressed' and used a term equivalent to vulgar dance and is heard telling the police personnel that she wanted to file a case accusing Samyuktha of 'public indecency".
Following the incident, Kavitha had faced much backlash from the public on social media which prompted her to first issue a detailed written statement on Saturday morning.
While many from the Congress party have expressed their individual opinions on the issue, the party has steered clear from the controversy with the leadership refusing to make their stand public.
In that statement, while she said she regretted losing her temper, Kavitha Reddy insisted that she did not moral police.