30 Nov : In the wake of Mumbai terror attacks, PM Manmohan Singh has said the government has decided to set up a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), strengthen air and maritime security and create four NSG hubs in various parts of the country.
Sharing the country’s "anger and outrage" over the Mumbai attacks, he appealed to parties to rise above political considerations to meet the challenge unitedly.
"Terrorists and enemies of our nation must know that their actions unite rather than divide us," he said in his opening remarks at the all party meeting convened by him to discuss the situation arising out of the terror strikes.
Describing the attacks as "different" from the previous terror strikes, Singh said "in the face of this national threat and in the aftermath of this national tragedy, all of us from different political parties must rise above narrow political considerations and stand united.
"We should work together in the interest of the country at this critical juncture."He said the parties should build a consensus on what needs to be done to strengthen the ability of the system to meet these threats.
"The terrorists and enemies of our nation must know that their actions unite rather than divide us," the Prime Minister said at the meeting.
He hoped that the political parties would be able to give a collective assurance to the nation that, across the political spectrum, "we stand together at this hour."
Maintaining that the government shared the hurt of the people and their sense of anger and outrage, Singh said several measures are already in place to deal with the situation.
"But clearly much more needs to be done and we are determined to take all necessary measures to overhaul the system," he said.
"We have finalised a set of legal measures based on the recommendations of the Administrative Reforms Commission which includes the setting up of a FIA," Singh said.
The Prime Minister said the government would further strengthen maritime and air security for which measures have been initiated.
This will involve the Navy, the Coast Guard and the coastal police, as well as the Air Force and the Civil Aviation Ministry.
"The anti-terrorist forces of the country will be further strengthened and streamlined. The National Security Guard, which is the principal anti-terrorist force of the country, will be given additional facilities and the size of the force is being augmented," he said.
Steps have also been initiated to establish another four NSG hubs in different parts of the country.
Additionally, the special forces at the disposal of the Centre would be appropriately utilised in counter insurgency operations.
The Prime Minister said the country has had terrorist attacks in the past too.
"But this attack was different. It was an attack by highly trained and well-armed terrorists targeting our largest city. They came with the explicit aim of killing large numbers of innocent civilians, including foreign visitors. They sought to destroy some of the best known symbols of our commercial capital."
He said the ordeal at Mumbai, which occupied the attention of the entire nation, has finally come to an end.
"All of us share the grief of those who have lost their loved ones in this dastardly and brutal attack and also the pain and anguish of those grievously wounded.
"We cannot lessen their grief. But we will do all we can to alleviate their suffering. I give you my solemn assurance that we will look after the needs of those who survive this horrible tragedy," Singh said.
"We salute the bravery of our security forces who fought the terrorists in exceptionally difficult circumstances. They tried their utmost to save innocent lives at great personal risk.
"Twenty officers and men made the ultimate sacrifice by laying down their lives. The entire nation owes a debt of gratitude to these men that we can never repay, the Prime Minister said.
Sonia stresses on a decisive fight against terrorism
Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s forthright remarks at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in New Delhi on the Mumbai terror attacks appears to have forced Home Minister Shivraj Patil, a known loyalist of the Gandhi family, to resign.
"We can no longer sit back and let these attacks overwhelm us. Our response has to be effective and it has to be decisive," she said at the meeting last night.
Noting that the nation has gone through a "painful and agonising period", Gandhi said "the time for intent is over" and added that it was looking for a "determined leadership.
We cannot afford to fail them."
At the meeting, convened to discuss the audacious terror strikes in the country’s financial capital, she made it clear that the first task of the Congress which leads the UPA coalition was to "restore faith" among the people.
"They (people) must feel they have a government that is taking all possible measures to give succour to those who need it and, more important, to ensure that there is no recurrence of such traumatic acts of terror," the Congress chief said.
Gandhi’s clear signal at the meeting attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and critical remarks by some leaders over the functioning of the Home Ministry, seems to have left Patil with no option but to put in his papers.
Patil drove to Singh’s residence this morning and submitted his resignation owning moral responsibility for the Mumbai terror strikes.
Describing the attacks as an "assault on our nationhood", Gandhi said it was an attempt to destroy the fabric of our society and secular, democratic way of life.