By IANS,
Mumbai : Home Minister R.R. Patil Tuesday said that Mumbai had been targeted by terrorists nine times since 1993.
Replying to a debate in the assembly, Patil said that Mumbai was a densely populated city and any terrorist attack created maximum impact.
“Forces inimical to us are aware that if Mumbai is attacked, it makes news worldwide. That is why the city has been targeted,” Patil said.
Initiating the debate, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Eknath Khadse accused of the government of failing to address the security concerns of the people of Mumbai.
BJP, Shiv Sena and MNS legislators said that the government had lost the “moral right” to be in office and said that Patil must give up the home portfolio.
Khadse said that Mumbai, which has witnessed terror attacks since the serial blasts of March 1993, has become the “most unsafe” city in India.
“It is 14 days since the bomb blasts at Zaveri Bazaar, Opera House and Dadar left 24 people dead and over 130 injured. But so far, no headway has been made in the investigations,” said Khadse.
In his reply, Patil said that compared to the Mumbai population, the police strength was much less — than places like New Delhi or Punjab.
“Starting from September, we shall begin recruiting 13,000 more policemen as part of the efforts to boost security,” Patil said.
Patil also informed that along with Khadse, he would visit London to study the modern security practices there.
“Both of us shall travel at our own expense,” Patil added.