Did not intend to hurt anybody by statement, says Sadhvi Jyoti

Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti on Tuesday said she has tendered an apology in the both the Houses of Parliament for her controversial remarks, adding that she did not intend to hurt anybody by her statement.

Jyoti's remarks reportedly came during a rally in the national capital on Monday, where she urged voters to choose between candidates in the city's Shyam Nagar area.

"If my words have hurt someone, I take back my words, I don't want spoil the image of the government. I have tendered an apology in both the houses of parliament, what more can I do," Jyoti told the media.

She also denied that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had told her to tender an apology.

"I felt that if my words have hurt someone, then I should take back my words," she said.

Jyoti's apology came after leaders of opposition parties called for the Fatehpur MP's resignation from the Union Cabinet.