Narendra Modi can't escape moral responsibility for Gujarat riots: Sharad Pawar

NEW DELHI: NCP chief Sharad Pawar today said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi cannot escape "moral responsibility" for the 2002 post-Godhra riots notwithstanding the "clean chit" given to him by a court.

Pawar at the same time said he respected the verdict of the court that exonerated the BJP Prime Ministerial candidate in a Gujarat riots case.

"The court has said something that we have to respect. But I also say, if I am a CM of the state, and if something happens like this(riots), I cannot bypass my responsibility, moral responsibility," the Union Agriculture Minister said.

On being specifically asked whether he believed that Modi had the moral responsibility when riots broke out in Gujarat, Pawar replied,"Any CM including Narendra Modi."

On his earlier statement that Modi should no longer be held responsible for the communal violence as a court has exonerated him, Pawar reiterated that decision of the court should be respected.