Opposition slams Rahul's statement on terror

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders said it would "embolden" terrorists.
"The BJP would like to state categorically such statements will embolden all indulging in terror. I think this is a statement that will demoralize the people of the country and we cannot expect anything," party leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy said adding that they expected the government to admit its lapse.

Communist Party of India leader D. Raja told IANS: "It shows a very casual and careless attitude to say something like this."

With three blasts rocking Mumbai Wednesday evening -- at Dadar, Zaveri Bazar and Opera house, killing at least 17 people and injuring 131, Rahul Gandhi said in Bhubaneswar Thursday that 99 percent of terror attacks in the country had been halted thanks to improved intelligence and other measures.

But he also said: "It is very difficult to stop any single terrorist attack." Reacting to this, Raja said: "Chidambaram said it was a coordinated attack, why were we not able to stop it? Chidambaram has failed as a home minister and Rahul Gandhi was trying to protect him."

"It is a failure of intelligence, we should try to understand what was the loophole. Since the 26/11 attack, Mumbai is on high alert, yet this incident occurred. Saying all terrorist incidents cannot be stopped is careless," he said.

Senior BJP Leader L.K. Advani said even though he would not comment on Rahul Gandhi's remark, the repeated occurrence of terror attacks showed government lapses.

"I will not comment on the statement. America is a democratic country like us, but I have not heard of anything after 9/11," Advani said.