Slap Gate Controversy: Harbhajan's first reaction to the leak of the video of slapping Sreesanth, lash out at Lalit Modi

The video of one of the most controversial moments in cricket, 'Slap-gate', has once again stirred up a storm of discussion. In this incident, Harbhajan Singh slapped S. Sreesanth on the hand during IPL 2008, a moment that left a deep mark in both that season and cricket history. But this time, Harbhajan has broken his silence on former IPL chairman Lalit Modi, who leaked the video that has become the center of discussion.

Bhajji told the Instant Bollywood page in clear words, 'It is wrong to bring out an 18-year-old video. This has been done for some selfish motive. People had forgotten it, and now their memories are being revived again.' He also added that he has moved on, leaving that incident behind, and raising the issue again and again like this will only cause discomfort.

Harbhajan has admitted many times that he is very embarrassed about that incident. He has apologized to Sreesanth on many occasions for slapping him, and now everything is normal between the two. But after Lalit Modi released an 18-year-old video on social media, this episode once again became fresh in the memories of cricket fans. Harbhajan said, 'I feel bad for what happened. We were playing, and many things were going on in everyone's mind. A mistake was made, and we regret it. Yes, the video has gone viral. It was an unfortunate incident, and I have said many times that I made a mistake. Humans make mistakes, and I also made one. I have prayed to Lord Ganesha to forgive me if I make a mistake again. Humans make mistakes.'

It is worth noting that Harbhajan was suspended for 11 matches after the 'Slapgate' controversy in IPL 2008. At the same time, Sreesanth's wife Bhuvaneshwari strongly attacked this leak. She said, 'This is inhuman, barbaric, and shameful. This is just a cheap move to attract attention. Our family and children are facing painful memories again.' The match referee of that time, Farooq Engineer, also expressed his displeasure and said, 'I handled this incident with serious responsibility and secrecy. I did not expect that this video would ever come out.'

Meanwhile, senior cricket analyst Harsha Bhogle also expressed his opinion and said, 'At that time, BCCI and IPL hid the video so that the image of the tournament and the players would not be tarnished. This was the reason why this footage was not made public for 17 years.' This controversy is not only a reminder of an old quarrel, but also raises the question of whether transparency can be compromised in the name of protecting the image of the game and the players. While legends like Harbhajan have expressed regret for their actions, digging up old wounds brings new pain for the players and their families.