Patna, Oct 25 (IANS) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should apologize for stating that the Pakistani intelligence had contacted Muslim youths hit by the Muzaffarnagar communal violence, BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said Friday.

"Gandhi's statement has hurt Muslims. Rahul Gandhi should apologize publicly for it," Hussain told the media here. He accused the Congress vice president of routinely making "irresponsible statements".

Gandhi made the claim at an election rally in Indore Thursday. The riots in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh in September left 62 people dead and 43,000 homeless.