Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde suggested setting up fast-track courts to deal with terrorism-related cases. Pawar supported the idea. Patil was also said to be “positive” on this suggestion. Expressing concern about the “public perception” in the wake of bomb blasts across the country, Pawar said that the Home Ministry had to be “seen to be working” and inspiring confidence. The Home Ministry “should look like acting, and not reacting,” said another Minister.

National Security Advisor M K Narayanan came in for criticism while he was briefing the Cabinet. “You tell us what is already in newspapers,” said Minority Affairs Minister A R Antulay. Responding to queries from ministers about Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the Indian Mujahideen, the NSA was learnt to have said that the latter appeared to be a radical offshoot of SIMI.

At least two ministers, including Antulay and Ram Vilas Paswan, questioned the government’s decision to appeal against the tribunal’s order lifting the ban on SIMI. They also demanded a ban on the Bajrang Dal. Paswan sought to know how and why the term, “mujahideen,” was bandied around since this tarnished the image of a particular community. Finance Minister P Chidambaram stepped in to say that investigations always point to an individual or a group, not to a community.

Hours before the Cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister held discussions on internal security with Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

In his speech to the Governors, Singh admitted there were “vast gaps” in the intelligence network that need to be “overcome.” He highlighted the role of Pakistan-based terrorist groups in the spate of serial bomb blasts across the country but said the involvement of local elements in some cases had added “a new dimension to the terrorist threat”.

... contd.