7/11, an attack on India: Advani

Mumbai, July 12: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha L K Advani today called the 7/11 blasts as an attack on the country.

Talking to reporters after visiting the injured and inspecting the blast site at Mahim railway station this morning, the BJP leader stressed the need for an effective anti-terrorist law, both at the national and state levels to tackle the 'warlike' situation that erupted yesterday after a series of seven bomb blasts ripped through the Western Railway here claiming 183 lives.

Mr Advani said such laws have been enacted in other countries too.

The former Deputy Prime Minister, while comparing yesterday's incident with the terrorist attack on World Trade Centre in New York said, ''Just as 9/11 attack was considered as an attack on the US, the 7/11 attack is not just another terrorist activity but a 'carpet bombing' on the lifeline of the commercial capital of the country, and hence a 'warlike' act of aggression against India itself''.

He also compared the serial blasts here with bomb blasts in London's underground Metro around the same time last year and said, ''It is obvious that yesterday's terrorist attack was far more co-ordinated and executing such an attack on seven running trains at seven different places within a short span of 15 minutes could not have been possible without a deep-rooted conspiracy and meticulous planning,'' he observed.

This could not have materialised without a posible nexus between terrorist infrastructure outside as well as inside the country and both the state as well as the Central government should demolish these terrorist modules, added Mr Advani.

Mr Advani said since the attack took place in trains, he expected the centre not to institute a separate inquiry by the railways.

''It is evident the Pakistani government has not kept its commitment of dismantling the anti-India terrorist infrastructure on Pakistan soil,'' he said.

He felt that while dealing with terrorism and terrorists, it should not give an impression that the government was willing to compromise on national security.

Drawing a parallel between Dawood Ibrahim, who was the prime accused in 1993 bomb blasts and Osama Bin Laden, Mr Advani said what Laden was for 9/11 attack on the US, Dawood was to India for the 1993 bomb blasts. ''Dawood Ibrahaim should be brought back to the country as he is the prime conspirator in 1993 bomb blast case,'' he added.

Saluting Mumbai and Mumbaikars for their resilience, Mr Advani said, ''I appeal to all the people of Mumbai and of the country to stay united and calm as a whole.'' Mr Advani also stressed the need to improve disaster management initiatives. ''We should draw proper lessons and further improve disaster management initiatives,'' he added.

Refraining from blaming anybody for failure, Mr Advani said, ''It is not the time to criticise the government on its act of commission and omission. The Raja and Praja (king and his subjects) must unitedly face the immediate challange before them. However, I do hope that the Central government realises the gravity of the terrorist aggression perpetrated by anti-national forces yesterday''.

Neither the city of Mumbai nor the country was unfamiliar with the evil face of terror but what happened yesterday was extraordinary both in terms of the scale of fatalities and diabolic nature of the attack itself, which reenacted the horrendous events of 1993 bomb blasts, he added.

Mr Advani stressed 'the one window system' to know the where abouts of the missing persons and cited the case of one Manisha Nalawade, who was searching her 20-year-old deaf and dumb son Amit at Bhabha hospital where Mr Advani paid a visit.

He also demanded an inquiry into the alleged role of terrorist organisaitons like Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

Mr Advani would visit the blood donation camp at Ghatkopar and then would fly back to New Delhi.

UNI