Patil gives clean chit to Andhra government in twin blasts

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil today gave a clean chit to the Andhra Pradesh Government for any lapses in Saturdays twin blasts in Hyderabad or the way it handled the situation later.

New Delhi, Aug 29 : Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil today gave a clean chit to the Andhra Pradesh Government for any lapses in Saturday's twin blasts in Hyderabad or the way it handled the situation later.

Patil rejected opposition leaders' claim that the Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy-led state government had failed to tackle the situation.

"The government of Andhra Pradesh was very alert and very careful, yet the incident has taken place. After that they have tried to help the victims," Patil said while replying to a special discussion in Parliament.

However lawmakers of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and its ally, Samajwadi Party, staged a demonstration in front of Parliament demanding dismissal of the state government.

TDP lawmaker K. Yerran Naidu said that even though the Centre has given instruction to all the state governments that blasts might happen in one of the metropolitan cities, the Andhra government has utterly failed in following the counter intelligence.

"That is why the incident took place, 43 people lost their lives. Our honourable Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh has admitted- 'I am owning the responsibility.' What is the meaning of owning the responsibility if Rajasekhara Reddy (continues) as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh? If he continues, the law and order situation would deteriorate further," Naidu added.

On Saturday, two bombs ripped through an amusement park and a small restaurant, killing 43 people. No one claimed responsibility, but police suspect Pakistan and Bangladesh based militant outfits to be behind the explosions.

The bomb attacks came three months after a bomb went off in the Mecca Masjid in the city in May, which killed 11 people.

ANI