Intelligence failed to prevent terror attacks: Paswan

Vijay Deo Jha Ranchi Saturday, November 29, 2008



In the wake of the terror attack in Mumbai, the Union Minister of Steel and president of Lok Janshakti Party, Ramvilas Paswan admitted to the failure of the intelligence agencies in preventing terror attacks.

Addressing a rally on the 8th foundation day of LJP at Morhabadi ground in the State capital on Friday, Paswan advocated for the need to strengthen the federal structure and federal policing.

He said such terror strikes could be stopped only after the State Governments and the Central Government resolve to fight the menace together.

"After 9/11, no terror strike could take place in America, as the country restructured its federal policy and formulated a joint mechanism to weed out the tentacles of terrorism from its soil," he added.

Defending the Central Government in the wake of the terror attack, Paswan said: "Often the State Governments play safe by putting the onus of terror strike on the Central Government… but the State Governments cry foul when the Central Government tries to reason out with these Governments on security issues."

The Minister also paid homage to Malayesh Banerjee and Prakash Mandal of Jharkhand who lost their lives at the hand of terrorists in Mumbai and condemned the terror attack. But he appealed to the people and political parties not to adopt dual policy over terrorism.

Making a direct attack on BJP for branding terrorism, Paswan said: "BJP raises a hue and cry about terrorism only when the terrorists are non-Hindus. It is now shielding accused persons of Malegaon blast, who happen to be mostly Hindus."

"I cannot say that they are BJP men but Malegaon blast has a link with the party and its 'transmitter RSS'," he added.

Paswan, who was in the State to expand the political bandwidth of the party in Jharkhand, reiterated that only LJP was able to deliver good governance.

Hoping that the Assembly elections in five States would enable the party to gain reorganisation as a national party from the Election Commission, Paswan remarked: "LJP has taken major political stride and gained recognition and support of the people in different parts of the country… and we will rule the politics after 20 years."