Modi should apologise for 2002 remark: Congress

The Congress Friday condemned Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on the 2002 communal riots and demanded an apology from him.

In an interview to a foreign news agency, Modi had said he had done "absolutely the right thing" during the 2002 riots and that even if a "puppy comes under the wheel" of a car, one felt sad.

"We condemn such comparison. He should apologise to the nation," Congress general secretary Ajay Maken said in a statement.

According to the Congress, "there was no place for such comparison in a civilised country and the remark was against the ethos of India".

"We condemn such pervert mentality," said Maken.

The Congress reminded the Gujarat chief minister that even then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had asked him to follow his 'Rajdharma' (duty of protecting the subjects).

"Why such statements are being made before the elections, we fail to understand," said Maken.