I happened to be at the Taj by chance :Ram Gopal Verma

New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) As his visit to terror-hit Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai along with Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh sparked a controversy, filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma today said he happened to be there by chance and that the issue should not be politicised. Eyebrows were raised after Verma and Reitesh Deshmukh, actor-son of the Chief Minister, accompanied the CM as he visited the hotel yesterday.

Deshmukh also faced criticism from a section of the media, which said he had gone on a `picnic` along with son and Verma. Downplaying his visit, Verma said, "Let me clarify that the Chief Minister did not invite me as I have never been even formally introduced to him.

It was just that I happened to be with Riteish at that time, whom I know very well." He also said that he has "no intention" of making a film on Mumbai terror strikes.

The film director said that no one should derive any other meaning from the visit by politicising it as he maintained that it was time to fight unitedly against terrorism. Bollywood filmmakers, who are known to have used some tragedies as their movie plots, are being cautious this time keeping in mind the shimmering tension among the public.

"A humble appeal to Mahesh Bhatt, Ram Gopal Verma, Sanjay Gupta, Rahul Dholakia and Apoorva Lakhia, Sirs, what`s happening in our beloved Bombay is terrifying and sad," an SMS doing the rounds said reflecting the vox populi. "Don`t insult us by thinking of making a `realistic` film glorifying or capitalising on this situation.

God please save our country from such terrorism and such filmmakers," it said. PTI.