Advani’s advice to Shinde

Deputy PM L.K. Advani today told the Lok Sabha that Centre has asked Maharashtra to ‘‘streamline’’ its intelligence apparatus and security arrangements in the wake of the Ghatkopar blast.

Before Advani rose to speak, Minister of State for Power Jayawantiben Mehta said in a statement that ‘‘the bomb blast in Ghatkopar has connection with the Godhra riots’’ while referring to a remark by Maharashtra CM Sushilkumar Shinde . ‘‘A few months ago, Mumbai Police Commissioner had said there should be more security in South Mumbai and around multi-storey buildings,’’ she said.

The statement had got this far when Congress MPs Shivraj Patil, Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi and Jaipal Reddy protested, saying Mehta cannot speak on the blast as Advani was scheduled to make a statement on it.

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‘‘Two ministers cannot speak on the same issue. It must be expunged,’’ Reddy said. ‘‘But she was not speaking as a minister, she was speaking as an MP,’’ said BJP MP V.K. Malhotra, as Speaker Manohar Joshi also observed that more than one minister have spoken on the same issue in the past.

However, the ruckus continued and the House was adjourned for 15 minutes.