Former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has addressed the renewed attention on the infamous “slapgate” incident following the release of the video by Lalit Modi. The video, which captured the moment Harbhajan Singh appeared to slap fellow Indian cricketer S Sreesanth after an IPL match in 2008, has resurfaced. Reflecting on the video’s public release, Harbhajan expressed regret, acknowledging his mistake and reiterating his apology. However, he also criticized the manner of the video’s release, suggesting it was inappropriate.
Speaking to Instant Bollywood, Harbhajan said, “The way the video has been leaked, it’s wrong. It shouldn’t have happened. They might have a selfish motive behind it. Something that happened 18 years ago, people have forgotten, and they are reminding people about it.” He added, “I feel bad for whatever happened. We were playing, and everyone had things going on in their mind. Mistakes happened, and we do feel ashamed about it.” Harbhajan stated, “Yes, the video has gone viral. It was an unfortunate incident, and I have said on many occasions that I made a mistake. Humans make mistakes, and I did one too. I have requested Lord Ganesh to forgive me if I make a mistake again. Mistakes happen.”