Seeking to clarify his controversial remarks on the existence of Lord Ram, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya on Saturday blamed the media, saying his remarks were "taken out of context".
The chief minister had made the remarks on Thursday while addressing a meeting to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
The meeting was organised by the state's Sports and Youth Services department.
In a statement in Kolkata, Bhattacharjee said he quoted lines from Rabindranath Tagore's Bhasha O Chhanda, which goes, "Kobi tabo monobhumi ramer janmasthan, Ayodhar cheye satya jeno" (The poets' mind is the birthplace of Ram, which is more real than Ayodaya).
"A section of the media has taken it out of context," he said.
The chief minister had said that "Ram was born in the imagination of a poet and Ram Sethu is a natural formation under the sea."
The CM's remarks had evoked a sharp reaction from the state Bharatiya Janata Party.
"The Communist Party of India-Marxist has been playing a communal game as it did with the ouster of Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen. The Left has proved it is the most communal party," said state BJP general secretary Rahul Sinha.