National
Advani counsels patience
- PTI
NEW DELHI, DEC. 17. The Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, today said the Government would consider an ``appropriate response'' to the December 13 terror strike on Parliament for which the nation should be prepared.
Without elaborating on the response and its timing, he said it would be considered jointly by the political and military establishments.
``The whole nation should be prepared and understand,'' he said addressing a gathering after inaugurating an Ayurvedic hospital here.
``Adheerta se kaam nahin chalege (Impatience will not do),'' Mr. Advani said, adding even the U.S. did not respond immediately after the September 11 terrorist strikes in New York and Washington.
He described the December 13 incident as an attack on the democratic system and the nation.
Stating that September 11 and December 13 would be remembered as a challenge to democratic civilisation, he said that however, a ``terrible catastrophe'' was averted by the securitymen who foiled the attempt of the five heavily-armed terrorists to enter the Parliament House.
He lauded the personnel of the CRPF, Delhi police, ITBP and Parliament's watch-and-ward staff for foiling the designs of the terrorists who intended to enter Parliament where the Prime Minister, many of his Cabinet colleagues and around 750 MPs, including leaders of all political parties, were present.
``Had the terrorists managed to enter the Parliament House, the magnitude of the devastation would have eclipsed the September 11 incidents,'' Mr. Advani said. He also ridiculed those raising questions about security failure, saying nothing of that sort was witnessed in the U.S. after the September 11 terror strikes.
``Questions could have been raised over how four planes were hijacked in a single day in the US and how the Pentagon, the seat of American Defence, could be attacked,'' Mr. Advani said, adding ``but no such noises were heard. Instead, all the MPs stood by the Speaker and expressed support to the Government's moves. It demonstrated the resolve of the people of the U.S..''
He regretted that things on the contrary were witnessed here. Referring to the 1999 hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar which resulted in the release of three dreaded terrorists, Mr. Advani said demonstrations were organised outside the Prime Minister's house repeatedly to pressurise the Government to meet the hijackers' demands.
As a democratic Government, the sentiments of the people had to be considered but such demonstrations did not give strength to the Government.
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
National
|
