IN FLIGHT: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh admits internal security system in the country is weak after bomb blast at New Dehli's High Court kills 11

Record ID: 1375129

  • Title: IN FLIGHT: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh admits internal security system in the country is weak after bomb blast at New Dehli's High Court kills 11
  • Date: 8th September 2011
  • Summary: IN AIR (SEPTEMBER 7, 2011) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC) MANMOHAN SINGH, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER ARRIVING TO INTERACT WITH JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANMOHAN SINGH, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER, SAYING: "There are still I think unresolved I think problems that's why terrorist take advantage of them and I admit to that extent, there are weaknesses in our systems and we must work hard and hard to pluck those weaknesses." SHIV SHANKAR MENON, INDIA'S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SITTING MANMOHAN SINGH SITTING JOURNALISTS STANDING (SOUNDBITE) (English) MANMOHAN SINGH, INDIAN PRIME MINISTER, SAYING: "I am confident that this is the war we will and we must win and it is in that context I talked about cooperation among all the political parties instead of wasting our times in mutual recrimination and mutual acquisitions. I would like all political parties all shades of intelligent public opinion in our country to pool their wisdom, knowledge and experience how best we can tackle this." MANMOHAN SINGH SITTING PRIME MINISTER LEAVING PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH STANDING
  • Embargoed: 23rd September 2011 05:21
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Crime,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7HD0YAM6WJZSQ8ME4LYZYYE7K
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: There are substantial flaws in India's security system, which have to be addressed immediately, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday (September 7).
    The prime minister was reacting to a blast which claimed 11 lives and injured 76 people outside the Delhi High Court earlier on Wednesday The comments were made as he was interacting with journalists on board an aircraft returning from Dhaka on completion of two-day state visit to Bangladesh.
    Earlier in the day, a powerful bomb placed in a briefcase exploded at the main gate of the Delhi High Court creating a four-foot deep crater and triggering a wave of panic among the general public.
    Commenting on this tragic incident, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that the country faces unresolved problems that have been capitalised by certain militant outfits.
    "There are still I think unresolved I think problems that's why terrorist take advantage of them and I admit to that extent, there are weaknesses in our systems and we must work hard and hard to pluck those weaknesses," said Manmohan Singh.
    He stressed on collective effort by all Indians, and political parties in particular, to fight militancy instead of indulging in mutual battle of words over party ideologies and rivalries.
    "I am confident that this is the war we will and we must win and it is in that context I talked about cooperation among all the political parties instead of wasting our times in mutual recrimination and mutual acquisitions. I would like all political parties all shades of intelligent public opinion in our country to pool their wisdom, knowledge and experience how best we can tackle this," added Manmohan Singh.
    Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over investigation of the blast and is seriously looking into the banned militant outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad Islami (HuJI) claiming responsibility for the blast.
    Indian authorities said the outlawed militant group HuJI, with bases in Bangladesh and Pakistan, had sent an e-mail claiming responsibility and the group called to repeal the death sentence of Afzal Guru, convict in connection with an attack on the Indian parliament in 2001.
    The blast, which was the deadliest attack in India in almost two months, prompted the government to put the capital on high alert.
    Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his government have faced intense criticism over the handling of such attacks in the recent past.
    In this context, the government had promised a radical overhaul of the security apparatus in India but critics say the reforms have been inadequate and in some cases abandoned.
  • Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register