A day after veteran actor Om Puri allegedly insulted Indian soldiers killed in the Uri attack by saying that no one had forced them to join the army, Puri issued a statement to a few reporters, in which he apologized for his remarks and said that he deserves to be punished.

Puri said in his statement, “I am very embarrassed at what I said and I deserve punishment, not forgiveness. I first apologize to his (an Uri attack martyr) family, if at all they will forgive me, I apologize to the whole country, the army. I know it’s not justified that you say so much and then think a sorry will make it right. I am guilty and I deserve a punishment. I want to be tried by the army, I should be court-martialled. I want a constructive punishment. The army should teach me how to use weapons and send me on the same site where that brave man was sacrificed himself for the country. I don’t want to be forgiven. I am pleading to the nation I want to be punished.”

Puri’s earlier statement had created a major controversy and even people from his own fraternity had expressed their disapproval at his views.