New Delhi:Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday said he asked the then environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan to protect the environment and the tribals.

He accepted he advised Natarajan on the work of her ministry.

\"I told Jayanthi Natarajan to protect the environment and the tribals,\" Rahul Gandhi said at an election rally in Delhi.

\"...I am here to work for the poor, not for four-five industrialists,\" he said.

Natarajan, who quit the Congress recently, had alleged interference from the party vice president in the working of the environment ministry when she was at the helm of affairs there.

Several Congress leaders, following Natarajan\'s allegations, had said that neither Congress president Sonia Gandhi, nor Rahul Gandhi ever interfered with the functioning of the UPA government and ministries.

Asked Jayanthi Natarajan to protect environment: Rahul Gandhi