New Delhi, November 28
Even as the BJP was keeping its powder dry against the government on the Mumbai terror attack till at least the successful completion of the commando operation against terrorists there, Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani let out his steam against the government here today.
Advani had broken ranks to rush to Mumbai yesterday to score a political brownie point against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. And today referring to his Mumbai visit, Advani said, “The government’s non-serious approach in this regard is reinforced by reports that the Mumbai attackers arrived in the city from the sea.”
He also charged the government with “pussyfooting and its politically motivated refusal to arm the security agencies with appropriately tough anti-terror challenge in the end.” He alleged, “The intelligence agencies’ energies were diverted to nail so-called Hindu terror, which evidently enabled the Mumbai attackers plot away undetected.”
Advani was however a little apologetic and embarrassed at jumping the gun and rushing to Mumbai. He said, “The Prime Minister suggested that he and I should go to Mumbai together. I had readily agreed, deferring my own departure plans. However in the afternoon I was told that it would be better if we went on Friday as the commando operation was not over. Since my campaign schedule for Rajasthan could not be altered, I expressed my inability to delay visiting Mumbai,” Advani said
As for BJP’s general secretary Arun Jaitely, he suggested a debate in the country on how security conscious India should be in view of repeated terrorist threats and advised political parties to think “above partisan party lines.”
Jaitley also attempted to downplay the advantage the BJP will gain in the Delhi assembly polling tomorrow. Trying to look at the larger picture, he said, “Like the USA after 9/11, India too has to reconcile to live in a state of perpetual preparedness.”
