Bharti says media paid by Modi, retracts

Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti Saturday once again courted controversy for accusing the media of being bought off by BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi - and then retracted.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, acknowledging Bharti's mistake, however asked the media "not to hound him".

"How much have you been paid by Modiji," Bharti asked the media when faced with a volley of questions over why he was not appearing before the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW).

The minister, however, retracted his statement later, saying: "I did not mean that. I apologise if the remarks have hurt anyone."

Bharti was summoned by the DCW for leading a group that raided some homes of Ugandan women in south Delhi.

Kejriwal assured that the law minister would think before speaking in future.

"He has committed a mistake and he has apologized for it. I am not justifying him. In future, he will think before speaking. But I would also ask the media not to hound him (Bharti)," he said.

The chief minister, in his address on the eve of Republic Day, earlier accused some media houses of portraying the Aam Aadmi Party government negatively.

Speaking at Chhatrasal stadium here, Kejriwal said: "We are trying to save the country from corruption and if the media projects AAP in a negative light, who will save the country?"