Chennai/New Delhi, Feb 9 (PTI): Union minister Manish Tewari today asked Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi why he did not own up "what happened under his watch" in his state instead of allowing the country to be subjected to "homilies" by foreign diplomats.

"It has been reported that the European Union ambassadors have told the Gujarat Chief Minister that accountability must be fixed for the Gujarat pogrom," Tewari said.

"Why does the Chief Minister not step up and take responsibility for what happened under his watch rather than the country be subjected to homilies by foreign diplomats?" he asked.

Tewari also took a swipe at the Gujarat Chief minister in a post on social networking site Twitter.

"EU says accountability for Gujarat Pogrom must be fixed. Does buck not stop with their lunch guest? Ignominious to be reminded by foreigners," Tewari posted.

The I&B Minister was apparently referring to media reports that the European Union had stressed on the "accountability" for the 2002 Gujarat riots, while maintaining that the matter was of "interest" to everyone.

The European Union had yesterday stressed on the "accountability" for the 2002 Gujarat riots, maintaining that the matter was of "interest" to everyone.

It said the issue of 2002 riots figured in its meeting with the Gujarat chief minister, who had met the EU delegation last month after victory in the Gujarat assembly polls.

"Modi came to (have) lunch with us in January at our invitation to discuss what happened in 2002. To discuss issues that have risen in terms of judicial process, accountability for 2002, to also discuss the development in Gujarat and his recent electoral victory," Joao Cravinho, Ambassador of the EU to India, had said.