Cabinet meets to discuss post Mumbai blast measures

New Delhi, Nov 27 : In the wake of the terror strikes in India's financial hub Mumbai, Central cabinet held an emergency meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in New Delhi to discuss security measures and the post blast actions on Thursday.

Talking to reporters after the meeting Home Minister Shivraj Patil said that the country is strong enough to defeat the designs of the militants.

"They want to create difficulties for our country. They want to frighten us. They won't be able to frighten us. They won't be able to create difficulties for us. The country is strong enough, forces are strong enough and we will definitely see that such designs do not succeed. We will see to that and it is possible," said Patil.

The attacks presumably the biggest of its kind in the country mainly targeted the foreign tourists and took them hostages in India's plush hotels.

The Home Minister said contrary to earlier fears the number of foreign hostages is not big and efforts are on to see that they were not harmed.

"Operation is likely to finish quickly. The only concern is how to see that the hostages are not harmed. But fortunately the number of foreigners we were thinking was quite big. But it is not very big," said Patil.

Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said the Mumbai militant attacks are of grave concern.

"Who is involved, how they had come here... their purpose was to gain international publicity. But we had to bear the losses. And some foreigners were also taken hostage. We have seen this going on for whole night. This is a matter of grave concern and we will have to deal with it unitedly...nation is one," said Lalu.

According to police so far 89 people have lost their lives. Fourteen police officials including the Mumbai police Anti Terror Squad (ATS) chief, Hemant Karkare have lost their lives.

Army personnel and NSG commandoes have been deployed to flush out the militants and rescue hostages.

ANI