Author: Agencies
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: September 15, 2008
URL: http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Sonia-holds-meeting-on-internal-security-Patil-absent/361627/
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Monday
reviewed the country's internal security situation with senior party leaders
but significantly Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who is under attack from various
quarters over the handling of terrorism, was conspicuous by his absence.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee,
Defence Minister A K Antony, Digvijay Singh, Margaret Alva and the Congress
president's political secretary Ahmed Patel were present at the meeting, sources
said.
The meeting discussed the Delhi blasts and
the situation arising out of it. The internal security situation of the country
came up for review, they said.
There was no explanation why Patil, whose
ministry is directly in-charge of security of Delhi, was not present at the
meeting.
Party spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi speculation
over Patil saying review of situations at the government and party levels
were part of governance and stories in the media were pure speculation.
Patil is under all-round attack over his ministry's
handling of internal security. Some senior leaders of the Congress are also
said to be critical of the minister, whose attention to sartorial preferences
even during the night of Saturday blasts have been attacked.
