India’s ruling Congress Party in its election manifesto released today promised to set up a ‘war room’ headed by cabinet secretary to deal with terror.
Home Minister P Chidambaram while releasing the manifesto warned that a “ring of fire” surrounded the country. Referring to attacks and violence in neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, he said, “the security situation in South Asia has deteriorated very, very sharply.”
“Congress is alive to challenges posed by terrorism and can provide a strong leadership to fight it,” he said adding, “It is only the Congress that can deal with the scourge of terrorism squarely and decisively.”
Referring to the Assam blasts, Chidambaram said, “ULFA has waged a virtual war against the Indian state and the Government has strong reasons to believe that the perpetrators of Guwahati blast belong to the banned outfit.” Condemning the Assam bomb blasts, he said that India’s pluralitistic nature makes it a target.
Chidambaram was speaking the day after a series of bomb and grenade attacks in Assam killed 10 people, despite intelligence warnings and heightened security.
The government in February announced new measures to deploy counter-terrorism forces belonging to the National Security Guard around the country instead of only in New Delhi.
The Congress-led government has come under strong criticism over perceived security failings surrounding the Mumbai attacks in November that left 165 people dead.
He accused the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party of politicising terrorism and said the country’s level of preparedness was higher than five years ago but was still a “work in progress.”