Terror strike: Advani demands ‘befitting’ reply

“The attack on (the) Ram mandir is a very serious incident… and the country should give a befitting reply to the forces behind the attack. The government should take a very tough stand in dealing with terrorists,” Advani said.

He said the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed could be behind the attack. “These two terrorist outfits are constantly on the prowl to create trouble in the country,” Advani added.

The BJP chief, who learned of the attack as he flew from Shillong to Guwahati, got the details after he landed here shortly before noon. He then rang up Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to get the official version of the incident.

“I must congratulate the security personnel who successfully foiled the attempt of the terrorists to barge into the shrine,” he added.

Advani, who rushed back to Delhi after winding up his two-day tour of Meghalaya and Assam, said he was in constant touch with the Director-General of CRPF which is responsible for the shrine’s security.

`Won’t hit Pak ties’

GWALIOR: Although he held the Centre and the UP government responsible for the Ayodhya attack, former PM A B Vajpayee said the incident would not affect India’s ties with Pakistan. ‘‘Relations and terrorism are separate issues. But we should not allow laxity in internal security.’’ —ENS