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New Delhi, Feb 22 (PTI): The Hyderabad blasts found an echo in the Lok Sabha on Friday, with members attacking the government over its “repeated failures” to check such terror incidents.
The members asked the government to explain why the terror incident took place despite a warning issued by the Centre two days earlier.
Initiating an impromptu discussion on the issue, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj said the lapse gets magnified when such incidents occur despite the government having intelligence inputs.
Earlier, the House had to be adjourned soon after it assembled, as members wanted an immediate response from the government.
Basudeb Acharia of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Mulayam Singh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party and several others spoke on a similar vein, with Mulayam asking the government to spell out where the weakness was.
Dara Singh Chauhan of the Bahujan Samaj Party wanted the government to ensure that innocent persons did not get trapped while unearthing the conspiracy behind these incidents.
In a scathing attack on the Congress-led coalition at the Centre, Sharad Yadav of the Janata Dal (United) said the occurrence of such incidents, in spite of the united resolve of the House, showed that the government was “lame duck” as also the intelligence set-up.
“The problem with this government is that it does not have any stature. It is lame duck.”
Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandopadhayay attacked the government over its “over-confidence”.
He said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's style of functioning has brought Maoist activities to “zero level” in the state, while the Centre's “over-confidence” reflected in the President's Address which did not have any mention of the terrorist menace.
Ajay Kumar (Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik), a former officer of the Indian Police Service, wanted intelligence agencies to be made accountable to Parliament as he suggested they escaped scrutiny with regard to such incidents.
“There should be Parliament oversight over the intelligence agencies. There should also be a standard policy for giving relief to all victims of terror crimes,” Kumar said and asked why police had not made public the photos of those arrested in a raid on a hotel and who were suspected to have links with the Hyderabad blasts.
Amid applause, Congress member V Arun Kumar made a strong plea for treating those who die in terror attacks as martyrs in the cause of the nation and their families given same treatment, respect and benefits as those who die for the country.
Sharifuddin Shariq (National Conference) said while the ”devil's acts” needed to be condemned by one and all, there was also a need to go into the causes of terrorism in order to wipe out the menace.
He also demanded an all-party meeting, convened by the Prime Minister, for a holistic discussion on the problem.
T R Baalu of the Dravida Munnettra Kazagham sought joint action by the Centre and the states to tackle terror, while B Mahtab of the Biju Janata Dal wanted to know where the “disconnect” between intelligence agencies and the police lay.
Narahari Mahto of the Forward Bloc said Thursday’s incident highlighted yet another lapse on part of the central and state governments. He wanted the government to state how it plans to check such incidents.
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