Bengaluru: Congress MLA Ravi Ganiga on Monday sought to clarify his recent remarks on actress Rashmika Mandanna, stating that his intention was to impart "life lessons" and not to attack her.
"When I said that I would teach her a lesson, I meant about life lessons, but I did not mean to attack," Ganiga told reporters here.
"I only said, 'Do not kick the ladder you have climbed.' Rashmika Mandanna did not come when invited to our state programme. I told her that she grew up eating the food of this state, so she should stand up for it. However, I did not personally tell her that she is not right," he said.
The MLA also mentioned that he had watched Rashmika's films and reiterated his stance on the importance of respecting Karnataka, its land, and the Kannada language.
The controversy erupted after Ganiga’s earlier comments on Rashmika's absence at a state event were perceived as a strong rebuke. His clarification comes amidst ongoing debates on linguistic and cultural pride in Karnataka.