Imaginative, bold steps needed to curb terrorism: Patil

New Delhi, Jul 28 (UNI) Home Minister Shivraj Patil today said clues that some homegrown terror groups were involved in recent blasts have been found and admitted the need for taking 'imaginative and bold' steps to stop such terrorism acts.

Asked about Opposition's charge that the recent serial blasts were intended to divert the attention of irate Muslim community from the Confidence Vote on the Indo-US nuclear deal and the 'cash for vote' scandal that rocked Lok Sabha on July 22, Mr Patil said he would refuse to join BJP on that issue.

He said the needs of the people should be recognised instead of politicising such matters.

''We are sorry that such incidents had taken place,'' he said, condoling the deaths.

Ascertaining that strong anti-terror laws were already in place in the country, Mr Patil said he was in favour of the Federal Agency to investigate such terror incidents.

However, under the Constitution, such agencies could only be formed after the consent and cooperation of the state government, he added.

Regarding the opposition's criticism that as Home Minister, he was soft on terror, Mr Patil said it was the state government's responsibility to deal with such terrorism and he himself could not go and act on behalf of them.

Asserting that a number of steps have been taken to check terror incidents in the country, the Home Minister said since such steps were not disclosed in detail, people did not realise that much was being done.

''However, we can and we must keep doing better and better in this regard,'' he said.

Mr Patil said he would soon hold a meeting of Chief Ministers to discuss the issue of terrorism.

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