Mandira Bedi offers apology on national-flag-on-sari controversy

New Delhi, Apr 29 (UNI) Television presenter Mandira Bedi has apologised for ''inadvertently'' wearing a sari on which were printed the national flags of 16 participating countries of cricket World Cup including India's.

Ms Bedi announced on the Sony Max channel discussion show during the Australia innings break of the final match in Barbados that she had changed her sari and offered her apology.

''My husband informed me some people had taken offence on my wearing a sari which has Indian flag printed on it. So I have changed my sari now.

''I had kept this sari specially to wear on the day of final match but if I have offended anybody's sentiments, I offer my deep apology. It was inadvertent and not intentional.

I am proud of being an Indian and do not have any intention to show disrespect to the national flag,'' she said in the show in the presence of her co-anchor Charu Sharma, former England captain Tony Greig and former Aussie skipper Ian Chappell.

Earlier, TV channels ran stories of people expressing their anger on Ms Bedi wearing a sari with the Indian flag printed on the sari around her knees which allegedly violated the Flag Code.

UNI