Thiruvananthapuram: Poonjar ex-MLA P C George, who was granted bail by the magistrate court on Sunday, slammed Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for his arrest.

While coming out of the magistrate's house at Vanchiyoor here, George said that he stood by what he had said earlier. George, however, withdrew his controversial statement against NRI business baron and LuLu Group Chairman M A Yusuff Ali.

"My arrest was Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's Eid gift to terrorists," George, who was arrested for hate speech, said.

He accused Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress of teaming up to appease extremists. He said what he did was to make people aware about nefarious practices which he knew.

The former legislator, while claiming that his statement did not hurt anyone, said that only those who undertake extremist activities might have been upset by his statement.

On his adverse remarks against Yusuff Ali, George clarified that what he had said ran contrary to what he actually wanted to say. He said his aim was to speak in favour of retail traders.

Meanwhile, after getting bail on Sunday noon, George left for hometown Poonjar along with his son Shone George, who is a member of the Kottayam district panchayat.

George, who was arrested from his residence at Erattupetta this morning, was taken to the Nandavanam Armed Reserve Police Camp here by road before being produced before the Magistrate at his residence.

A few days ago George claimed restaurants run by Muslims used a certain drop that causes impotence. He reasoned that the Muslims were trying to seize the country by sterilizing men and women (of other religions). Theses controversial comments were made while addressing the Ananthapuri Hindu Maha Sammelan.

He also alleged Yusuff Ali's Lulu Group was refraining from opening retail malls in Malappuram with a purpose.