India, Feb. 17 -- Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Tuesday apologised over his controversial remarks referring to Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Tipu Sultan, saying his statement was "misconstrued and distorted" by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and that he had no intention of hurting anyone's sentiments.

In the clip, Sapkal is purported to have compared the bravery and ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj with those of Tipu Sultan, stating that Tipu Sultan had fought against the British and should be regarded as a courageous warrior and a "son of the soil."

A first information report (FIR) was lodged at the Parvati Police Station on Saturday following a complaint filed by BJP Pune city unit pre...