File photo of Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi:
The Union government today contradicted Rahul Gandhi who had controversially claimed in October last year that Pakistan's ISI had tried to recruit young Muslim men whose families were affected in the riots that tore through Muzaffarnagar in Western Uttar Pradesh in September.
"As per the available information from Central intelligence agency, they do not have any input to suggest that Pakistan ISI had contacted youth of families belonging to minority communities, who were affected during recent communal riots in Muzaffarnagar," junior Home Minister RPN Singh said today in Parliament.
The clarification creates some embarrassment for the Congress, whose bid for the national election is being led by the 43-year-old Mr Gandhi.
In a public speech, he had attributed his allegation about the ISI and Muzaffarnagar to an intelligence official. Muslim leaders denounced his remark, claiming that it questioned the patriotism of a minority community. The Opposition BJP demanded an explanation for why intel officers were briefing Mr Gandhi who is not a part of the government.
Last month, the Delhi Police said it had arrested two men, allegedly members of the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, who had contacted two men in Muzaffarnagar to recruit them. However, those men did not come from families that had been affected by the riots in which 60 people were killed.
"As per the available information from Central intelligence agency, they do not have any input to suggest that Pakistan ISI had contacted youth of families belonging to minority communities, who were affected during recent communal riots in Muzaffarnagar," junior Home Minister RPN Singh said today in Parliament.
The clarification creates some embarrassment for the Congress, whose bid for the national election is being led by the 43-year-old Mr Gandhi.
In a public speech, he had attributed his allegation about the ISI and Muzaffarnagar to an intelligence official. Muslim leaders denounced his remark, claiming that it questioned the patriotism of a minority community. The Opposition BJP demanded an explanation for why intel officers were briefing Mr Gandhi who is not a part of the government.
Last month, the Delhi Police said it had arrested two men, allegedly members of the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, who had contacted two men in Muzaffarnagar to recruit them. However, those men did not come from families that had been affected by the riots in which 60 people were killed.
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