Khan, speaking to a Pakistani news channel, had reportedly said: “Everyone and the world knows the truth that Pakistani government was not behind the Mumbai terror attacks, but the attacks were carried out by terrorists. It was nothing but hype and too much hype because elite people were targeted. And it is also a fact that the terrorist strike took place because our Indian intelligence and security failed miserably,” Khan told the news channel.

Khan on Sunday apologized after Shiv Sena member of Parliament and executive editor of party mouthpiece Saamna had demanded an apology from the actor for his remarks.

Speaking to journalists Sunday evening, Raj said: “There was a mischievous motive behind twisting of Salman Khan’s statement by the Pakistani media. The interview given three weeks ago to a Pakistani news channel was cleverly edited which was subsequently picked up by the Indian media. This was done by the Pakistani news channel to create discord and tension during the Eid Al-Fitr and the Hindu festival of Ganesh,” Raj added.

Raj defended Khan saying the actor had the right to speak his mind and that there was nothing wrong in what he said. According to MNS sources, the actor and Raj are close friends.

In another development, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader who is also the party leader in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Eknath Khadse, criticized the Congress-led Democratic Front government in the state and the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) for the latest arrest of alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba suspects last Tuesday linked to the bomb blasts at German Bakery in Pune on Feb. 13.

Khadse said: “The ATS has arrested several people after the blasts. All the arrested were released by the judiciary due to lack of evidence. It appears everything is farce and the ATS and the state government have arrested people to show that they have succeeded in nabbing the culprits. The two youths arrested do not appear to be involved in the blast but the ATS with the help of the government is trying to send the message that the Bakery blast case has been solved and accused arrested.”