Suspended Chennai Super Kings team doctor Madhu Thottappillil on Thursday tendered an unconditional apology for his social media post about the government after the death of Indian soldiers in a face-off with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh.
On Tuesday, after reports came in of Indian casualties during the Galwan Valley clash, Thottappillil had posted a tweet which was picked up by social media users as being anti-government. The tweet read: “Just curious if the coffins will come back with a ‘PM Cares’ sticker on them?”.
He later deleted it and protected his account, but the screenshots were widely circulated. He was subsequently suspended by the franchise.
Thottappillil took to Twitter on Thursday and offered an apology.
“On June 16th, I had put out a tweet, and after I realised that the words used by me was inappropriate and unintended. I deleted the same.But by then there were screenshots of my tweet being circulated and shared in social media,” the doctor stated in his apology note.
“It was never my intention to belittle the great and Herculean efforts taken by our Honb’le prime minister and the Govt in taking care of all the citizens obligations of this great nation and its Army or our brave Martyrs.
“I have always respected the efforts of the govt in its valiant war on Covid-19 pandemic armed forces and valour of the armed forces standing and fighting under adverse conditions.”
“I regret the hurt and anguish I may have caused to many people who read my Tweet and wholeheartedly apologise for the same. I have tweeted inadvertently and mistakenly and it has nothing to do with my association with any individual or organisation,” he wrote.
“I am aware of the care bestowed by the Honb’le prime minister taken for the martyred jawans who had laid their lives for the country, without whom we the citizens would not be having a secured life,” CSK team doctor for 10 seasons said.
“I hope the whole issue is put to an end and the tweet be treated as an aberration on my part. I once again express my sincere apologies for the unintended and inadvertent remarks made in my earlier tweet,” he concluded.
CSK, captained by Mahendra Singh Dhoni who holds the rank of an honorary lieutenant in Territorial Army, announced his suspension on Wednesday. The team is owned by former BCCI President N Srinivasan’s India Cements.
With PTI Inputs
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