PM should resign if he can't ask 4 women ministers to step down:Cong

Vasundhara Raje in particular has been in the spotlight since the Lalit Modi episode sprung up

Congress today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should step down if he was finding himself "helpless" in securing resignations of four women Ministers who are under attack for alleged wrongdoing.

"If the Prime Minister is helpless in securing the resignations, he should tell people about his failure to ensure zero tolerance to corruption and offer his resignation," party spokesman Raj Babbar told reporters.

Hitting hard at the Prime Minister over his "continued silence" over the raging controversy, he said, "four women have turned speechless the most frank and outspoken man".

The four Ministers being targeted by the Congress are Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, HRD Minister Smriti Irani and Maharshtra Minister Pankaja Munde.

He wondered if the Prime Minister had the moral right to continue in office when he could not ensure his commitment to people that he will not resort to any corruption, nor allow anyone to do so.

"Will a guard be allowed to continue in his post if a theft occurs at the place he is guarding. If the guard does not resign, he will be removed," Babbar said.

Attacking the ruling party for failing to take action against the four leaders, he said BJP has made a "mockery" of the issue of women's empowerment

Taking a veiled dig at the BJP and the Modi dispensation, Babbar, who was also an actor, cited the example of a Hindi film 'Besharam' (shameless). He said that despite a good starcast, the film bombed at the box office.

Babbar also took a jibe at the RSS, saying the outfit which projects itself as comprising patriots and honest people, was silent on the issue.

The Congress leader said that while the first year of the Modi government was marked by communal statements by several BJP leaders including Union ministers, the second year has started with surfacing of scams and scandals.

Earlier in the day, another party spokesman Ajoy Kumar accused the Prime Minister of following "Raje dharma" and "not rajya dharma" by shielding Raje and Swaraj.