11-30-2008, 06:52 PM
Demoralised DF doesn't even ask why intelligence failed
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Kadam, Minister of the Co-operation Department, asked DGP A N Roy what had happened to the state Intelligence department. The minister, also in charge of the Relief & Rehabilitation department, questioned why the department had failed to gather any information about the terror strikes.
<i>But other members of the Cabinet were in no mood to raise any questions over the preparedness of the police that lost three of its best officers. Revenue Minister Narayan Rane said it was not the right time to raise such issues and "we should be united at this hour". </i>
The government machinery, taken completely by surprise by the terror attack, decided to call in the Army at 11 pm on Wednesday. After frantic calls to Delhi, senior Mantralaya officials requested National Security Guards (NSG) Commandos for the operation. Calls also went to Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who was in Kerala.
Deputy CM R R Patil, who was supervising the operation from his official residence at Malabar Hill, was requested by PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal to visit the DGP office at Colaba.
<b>Sources said though the plane carrying NSG Commandos was ready by midnight, it could not take off due to the delayed arrival of a VIP, who wanted to accompany them to Mumbai, at the Delhi airport. Worse, the Commandos had to wait for a vehicle at the Mumbai airport until morning. </b>
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Kadam, Minister of the Co-operation Department, asked DGP A N Roy what had happened to the state Intelligence department. The minister, also in charge of the Relief & Rehabilitation department, questioned why the department had failed to gather any information about the terror strikes.
<i>But other members of the Cabinet were in no mood to raise any questions over the preparedness of the police that lost three of its best officers. Revenue Minister Narayan Rane said it was not the right time to raise such issues and "we should be united at this hour". </i>
The government machinery, taken completely by surprise by the terror attack, decided to call in the Army at 11 pm on Wednesday. After frantic calls to Delhi, senior Mantralaya officials requested National Security Guards (NSG) Commandos for the operation. Calls also went to Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who was in Kerala.
Deputy CM R R Patil, who was supervising the operation from his official residence at Malabar Hill, was requested by PWD Minister Chhagan Bhujbal to visit the DGP office at Colaba.
<b>Sources said though the plane carrying NSG Commandos was ready by midnight, it could not take off due to the delayed arrival of a VIP, who wanted to accompany them to Mumbai, at the Delhi airport. Worse, the Commandos had to wait for a vehicle at the Mumbai airport until morning. </b>