I never said Rahul Gandhi should apologise: Jairam Ramesh

Raipur: Union Minister Jairam Ramesh on Sunday refuted reports that he wanted Rahul Gandhi to apologise to the Muslim community for his controversial remarks that ISI was having links with Muzaffarnagar riot-hit youths, saying that his comments were twisted by the media.

"I didn't say Rahul Gandhi should apologise," he said, adding that news channels 'twisted my comments'.

Jairam Ramesh demands Rahul Gandhi's apology for ISI remarks

Senior Urdu journalists had on Saturday told Ramesh in Delhi that the community was hurt by Gandhi's remarks and suggested that the Congress Vice President should apologise.

In response, Ramesh acknowledged the controversy created by the remarks and said what they have suggested may be looked into.

"His (Rahul Gandhi's) intention was not to malign or hurt any community. But it was blown out of proportion by the media and Congress adversaries," Ramesh had said.

Gandhi was served a notice by the Election Commission on October 31 on the charge of violating the Model Code of Conduct with his remarks. Gandhi had pleaded not guilty to the charge while seeking to justify his remarks. 

ntensifying his attack on the ruling BJP on the last day of campaigning for the second phase of the Chhattisgarh assembly election, Ramesh said there seems to be some 'unwritten understanding' between the RSS and the Maoists in the Maoist-hit Bastar region of the state.

"It is strange that an area of 6,000 sq km has been declared Maoist liberated zone. Sometimes I feel there is some unwritten understanding between various outfits of the RSS and the Maoists in Bastar," he said.

He also expressed annoyance saying that despite releasing so much money to provide health services in Bastar, foreign institutions provide healthcare facilities in the region and not the BJP-led state government machinery.

To a query about BJP asking Congress to declare its chief ministerial candidate for the state assembly elections, he said which party would win the election is more important than who would be nominated chief minister.

Highlighting the Centre's contributions to the state's development, he said the Centre has never discriminated against Chhattisgarh adding that construction of around 4,000 km roads were sanctioned in rural areas, Rs 2,000 crore given as part of MNREGA and Rs 2,300 crore as food subsidy.

Expressing confidence of a Congress victory in the assembly election, he said, people no more want BJP to be in power in Chhattisgarh.