The state youth festival is scheduled to take place in January next year. (File) Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Minister V Sivankutty who criticised a popular Malayalam film actress for demanding Rs five lakh as remuneration for choreographing the welcome dance and song for the upcoming state school youth festival, withdrew his remarks on Monday. Without naming the actress, the Minister for General Education and Labour, speaking during a programme on Sunday, said that she had demanded a hefty sum for teaching children a 10-minute-long performance. As the remarks gained widespread media attention on Monday and TV channels aired his voice clip, V Sivankutty withdrew his statement, stating that he “did not want to create any unwanted controversy”. “It has come to my notice that some statements I made during a cultural programme yesterday garnered wide media attention. The remarks were not intended to insult or hurt anyone. Therefore, I withdraw those statements,” he said during a press conference on Monday. The minister explained that celebrities are generally invited to youth festivals to give the event more publicity …