'Mistake': Sadhvi Ritambhara Apologises For 'Earning Money Being Nude' Remark

After sparking outrage with her remark that she feels ashamed to see Hindu women earn money by being nude and performing dirty dances, spiritual leader Sadhvi Ritambhara has said she apologises if anyone has been hurt by her remarks, but she felt she had a right to say what she did because she was surrounded by her loved ones. 

The Padma Bhushan awardee's discourse at a gathering three months ago has now gone viral in which she says in Hindi, "Hindu women, oh God. I feel ashamed to see them. Will you earn money? Will you earn money by being naked? By doing dirty dances, singing dirty songs? I don't understand how their husbands, their fathers accept this?"

"People should lead a life of decency... Women of India, don't mind my saying this..." she adds.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV on Friday, the spiritual leader said she believes women play a key role in families and the nation and she was not targeting women, but keeping hope in their strength. 

"But being unrestrained cannot be called independence. Being undisciplined is not disciplined. This is my nature... When my pain reaches a point, I share it with my loved ones. This is an old video, which has gone viral. I was trying to say that a nation becomes great because of its citizens' behaviour," she said.

Asked why such comments were not made for men, Sadhvi Ritambhara added, "If women were hurt by my emotional comments, then I will definitely apologise. But when you are in the middle of your loved ones, you speak thinking you have a right over them. I love those who are shattered, but it hurts when you see unrestrained behaviour like this. This has not been the role of Indians... I am also human, I should not have said what I said, maybe if I had said 'niravaran', or 'nirvastra' or filled with values..."

Classical dance, she said, is very good but what does not look good is what is shown in the "so-called reels".

"Indecent behaviour does not look good. And if a woman does it or five, 10, 100 do it, all women are tarnished," she said. 

"What I said was not for all Hindu women. I must have forgotten to say something in the flow of speech. I am an ordinary human, I made a mistake," the spiritual leader added. 

When young children watch such reels, she said, it poisons their mind and does not let them focus on making their lives better and striving for a good career.

"Yes I should not have said the word. I made a mistake. I know the mothers of the country will forgive me... I apologise, but my country knows me," she said.