In public, the Congress today stood squarely behind Home Minister Shivraj Patil but, in private, there’s apprehension within over the growing perception that the UPA is ineffective in the face of terror — and can’t be trusted with securing public safety.

Several Congress leaders are said to have expressed their reservations over this issue at a meeting with party president Sonia Gandhi after ally RJD’s Lalu Prasad Yadav took a swipe at the functioning of intelligence agencies, read by many as a veiled criticism of the Home Ministry.

Party sources, however, said that although the Congress President is yet to reveal her mind on the issue, the Home Minister’s exit is very unlikely given that it will play right into the hands of the Opposition and be an admission of failure in the last days of the government’s tenure. Close aides of the Home Minister said that National Security Advisor M K Narayanan, too, should be asked to explain given that intelligence agencies report to him.

While Lalu, in separate meetings with Prime Minister Mamohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, was learnt to have raised questions about the functioning of the Home Minister — Patil was under fire from Lalu and allies over the mismanagement of the Amarnath crisis as well — he was guarded outside. “Resignation of the Minister is not the solution,” he said. “It will not end terror attacks.” Lalu criticised intelligence agencies for their routine failure to provide credible inputs. He asked for an emergency Cabinet meeting and an all-party meeting to discuss the issue, even a “task force” to deal with terrorism-related issues. Ironically, Lalu was among those opposed to the ban on SIMI just weeks ago.

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