Posted on 11/30/2008 11:35:26 AM PST by Kaslin
NEW DELHI: In the wake of Mumbai terror attacks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday 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. (Watch )
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 from which leader of the opposition L K Advani, BJP president Rajnath Singh and Shiv Sena stayed away.
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.
Maybe Barry will sell Gitmo to India.
Yeah, while Barry is getting ready to release all the Gitmo al Queda terrorists to return to their careers as mass murderers, India grows some testicles.
I read an earlier thread in which the CEO of Tata, Tata being the Corporation that owns the Taj had received forewarning of the attack, and had increased security at the hotel. Obviously not sufficiently, but that isn’t my point.
One would think he did not keep that forewarning to himself. India’s Government must have been included in the forewarning of possible Terrorist attack(s), or as the article did not state the source IIRC, perhaps the Indian Government was the source of the warning. Regardless one must assume the Government had the same information as did the CEO of Tata.
Yeah...I know...ass/u/me.
Certainly this close to the final of the event we aren’t receiving the entire story, but only bits and pieces as the rubble is sorted through, and the fingers are pointed in all directions, but inward.
This is all well and good, but responding by trying to seal up one’s country and put everybody under surveillance ultimately ends by punishing and restricting the innocent - while the terrorists manage to get in anyway, sooner or later. A better response would be to go and kill terrorists.
Obviously, however, India can’t do it alone, and the US has been effectively neutralized. In fact, so has Israel. The terrorists know now that each attack will be followed only by higher security on the part of its victims, which may make their next attack more difficult, but does not punish or harm the terrorists in any way.
Based on their reaction, I’d say they had testicles the whole time. They were just dealt a cheap shot, and are now demonstrating that they are willing to take the kinds of actions that we-who-have-no-testicles will not.
PM Manmohan Singh is a muslim lover and a liar - he was the one that famously claimed that “terrorism was not an Islamic problem as muslim countries saw terrorism too.” What he left out was the fact the most of the victims of Islam in muslim countries are NON-muslims and dhimmis.
I am sick and tired of muslim appeasement.
Yet another government agency, with more red tape to be used and more funds for corrupt politicos to milk off. India has enough agencies-what it lacks is political direction.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Manmohan Singh and the Congress party find existence in only the history books after next year’s elections.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Well Al Franken and Michael Moore types do qualify for "literally hate you and want to wipe you out" but fortunately they do not (yet) have that kind of power over the rest of us.
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