Malegaon: PM for strengthening of intelligence

On Board Air India One, Sep 12: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today admitted there was a need to strengthen the country's intelligence set-up and investigative systems to ensure that incidents like Friday's blasts in Malegaon did not recur.

''We have to strengthen our intelligence set-up. Once events take place, we have to strengthen our investigative methods.

There is a problem, I do not deny that,'' he told journalists accompanying him on his nine-day visit to Brazil and Cuba.

Dr Singh said the agencies concerned were doing their best but there was ''considerable scope for improvement,'' particularly in strengthening intelligence gathering at the grassroot level.

The Prime Minister also called for strengthening coordination in this regard among the states and also between them and the Centre.

He pointed out that it was in this context that he had convened a meeting of Chief Ministers recently to discuss internal security.

''All these things require a structured approach,'' he stressed.

Asked about progress in the investigations, Dr Singh said it would be inappropriate, at this stage, to ''rule anything out or rule anything in.'' ''I think there should be a fair investigation which inspires confidence and brings out the truth and nothing but the truth without any pre-conceived notions. That has to be the objective,'' he added.

UNI

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