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NSA nothing more than a postman: Amar Singh

August 29, 2007 12:45 IST

General secretary of Samajwadi Party Amar Singh described National Security Advisor M K Narayanan as nothing more than a dakiya (postman) as he was merely passing on information from the Centre to states.

Amar Singh was speaking during the debate on the Hyderabad blasts in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday morning.

The chairman of Rajya Sabha took the unprecedented step of suspending the Question Hour to take up the debate on the killings in Hyderabad.

It was also decided that questions would be taken up during the last phase. However, the members who were listed to speak kept shouting, forcing the chairman to suspend the House till 12 noon.

"The NSA admitted that they had prior information and the same had been passed on to the state government. National Security Advisor na huey dakiya ho gaye," Amar Singh said taking a dig at Narayanan.

P Alexander, former governor of Goa, suggested that a special cell comprising officers who worked in intelligence bureau and Research &Aanalysis Wing should be created in the home ministry that would report only to home minister. He also suggested that an institute on the lines of Defence Institute could be a good idea.

Initiating the debate, Sushma Swaraj said the killings indicate that the country needs to have a strong law to deal with terrorists. "Bring back Prevention of Terrorism Act," she said.

Swaraj ridiculed the government for making formal statements after visiting the scene of crime that they would deal with the terrorists with a firm hand. "They do the same when a ghastly incident takes place," she said.

Left leader Sitaram Yechury wondered how public security can be handed over to a private agency.

"It is not possible to enter the park without getting a ticket. How can a terrorist get into a park with a bomb, this question needs to be answered," he said.

Members of opposition parties said that the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh had no moral right to continue in office after he owned up moral responsibility for the blasts.

Onkar Singh in New Delhi