Indian Govt admits intelligence gaps, to strengthen security

Admitting that there were "gaps" in the intelligence set up, Government on Thursday said it will take a number of steps, including strengthening laws and setting up a National Investigation Agency (NIA) to insulate the country from terror strikes like in Mumbai.

In a suo-motu statement in the Lok Sabha, Home Minister P Chidambaram said that the government has decided to set up a Coastal Command for overall security of 7,500-km coast-line and create NSG hubs in various parts of the country as part of measures to make the protective system more effective.

He said the government proposes to bring a set of Bills "to strengthen the legal provisions relating to the prevention, investigation, prosecution and punishment of terror acts".

The government was in the process of consulting political parties in this regard. "I would urge this House to consider and pass these bills in this session," Chidambaram said.

An identical statement was made by Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal in the Rajya Sabha.

"Intelligence gathering requires human resources and technical resources. We have identified the gaps," Chidambaram said.

Separate debate on Assam terror strikes, PM assures RS

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday gave an assurance in Rajya Sabha that a debate on terror strikes in Assam would be held separately, as they were as "dastardly" as the Mumbai attacks.

Dr Singh had to intervene as a couple of MPs from Assam briefly interrupted the ongoing debate on Mumbai terror attacks in Rajya Sabha.

"Incidents in Assam are as dastardly as the terror attacks in Mumbai, but the debate should not be disrupted ... They can bring Assam separately in a debate," he said.

Soon after Chairman Hamid Ansari announced that the Question Hour has been set aside for a discussion on terror attacks in Mumbai, Assam Gana Parishad members were up on their feet demanding widening of the scope of the debate to include terror strikes in Assam.

Ansari said members were free to raise issues regarding all terror strikes in the country during the debate.

Soon after this, Minister of State for Home Affairs Shriprakash Jaisawal made a suo moto statement on the Mumbai terror attacks.

The AGP members were again up on their feet as the statement did not have any mention of recent terror strikes in Assam, prompting the Prime Minister's intervention.(AKS-