Gadkari welcomes Shivraj Patil's resignation

Nagpur, Nov 30 (UNI) Maharashtra BJP president Nitin Gadkari has welcomed the resignation of Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, saying it was the ''appropriate step'' for a functionary of the government that was ''appeasing minorties''.

In a statement issued here today, Mr Gadkari said the terror attacks on November 26 on Mumbai was an evidence of total failure of the centre as well as the state government in curbing terror. While the attack was on, the Centre, the state government and Mr Patil, were busy appeasing the minorities, he said.

During Mr Patil's tenure of four-and-a-half years as Home Minister, the country came under terrorist attacks 18 times, in which 800 innocent lives were lost, Mr Gadkari said. The Congress must now appoint an efficient Home Minister who is adept at gathering and interpreting intelligence, he said.

''Mr Patil's functioning as Lok Sabha Speaker was excellent, he could not be a good Home Minister,'' Mr Gadkari said, adding that the entire United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government should accept moral responsibility for the Mumbai attacks and quit.

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