Muttemwar moots separate security agency for Mumbai

Nagpur, Nov 28 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Renewable Energy Sources Vilas Muttemwar today mooted a separate security agency to protect Mumbai from repeated terrorist attacks.

Speaking to reporters here, Mr Muttemwar said the force should be given sophisticated weapons, communication equipment and transport to be able to take care of any eventuality. The Centre should extend all possible assistance in setting up the agency, because Mumbai is the country's financial capital, and not merely that of Maharashtra, he said.

An independent agency was necessary because the attacks on Mumbai were not a mere law and order problem, but a full-scale war against India, Mr Muttemwar said. ''The Mumbai police are a valiant lot and handle such crises with commendable efficiency. They handled the latest attacks well. However, this is warfare; we are up against terrorists trained in combat, not some gangsters,'' he asserted.

Mr Muttemwar said he would make the demand from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Asserting that Mumbai and India would recover from the shock of the attack, Mr Muttemwar complimented Dr Singh for bringing the alleged involvement of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in the attack to the notice of the Pakistan Prime Minister.

Condemning the attack on the financial capital, Mr Muttemwar paid tributes to the men in uniform, who laid down their lives while facing the terrorists. The officers had displayed exemplary courage and bravery, he added.

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