If Modi had morality, he should have quit after Godhra riots: Tewari

Speaking on the sidelines of the 44th India International Film Festival (IIFF) that is being held here, Congress Party leader and Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said on Wednesday that BJP prime ministerial candidate and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi should have resigned after the the Godhra riots of 2002.

Stating that the Congress Party would not be demanding Modi's resignation over the recent snooping row allegations, Tewari said: "You people are asking me such a question that you are pouring water off a duck's back. We should ask resignation from that person who has got some morality, shame and etiquette."

"If he had to submit his resignation, he would have given it after the 2002 (Godhra) massacre. So, we should ask for resignation from that person who has a ray of morality in him," he added.

Two investigative news portals, Cobrapost and Gulail, had claimed that Modi's aide Amit Shah had ordered the illegal surveillance of a woman at the behest of one "saheb".

They had released taped conversation between Shah and IPS officer G L Singhal to support their claim, but said its authenticity could not be confirmed.

Tewari said the party respects the feeling of "that respected woman and her father."

"Nobody will want that their rights should be abused. No state or the government has the right to illegally abuse the human rights," he said.

"In this case if the telephones are tapped illegally, then it is completely wrong according to the Indian laws," Tewari said.

"It is a criminal offence. If the government is involved in all these offences then it is a constitutional right to take action against them," he added.