Friday, April 22 2005 08:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) last night (Apr 21, 2005) described as "dastardly" the attack on Railway Minister Laloo Prasad allegedly by Sangh Parivar activists in Gujarat and deplored the authorities' "failure" to provide him security.

The CCPA, which met for an hour with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the chair, expressed "shock over the dastardly attack on Laloo Prasad by some political activists" when the Minister visited the site of the collision between Sabarmati Express and a goods train near Vadodara and the hospital where the injured were admitted.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters after the meeting, "In the constitutional frame of affairs it is the responsibility of the State Governments to provide security to Union Ministers when they are visiting the States."

"Failure to provide security to a senior Minister of the Union Government is deplorable," he said.

Mukherjee said the Union Home Ministry has asked Gujarat Government to identify the culprits and take strict action against them and any official responsible for the "lapse."

He said Gujarat Governor has been asked to send a report on the incident and it is expected that he would so at the earliest.

The CCPA meeting was attended among others by Mukherjee, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Laloo Prasad, HRD Minister Arjun Singh, Law Minister H R Bhardwaj and Telecommunication Minister Dayanidhi Maran.

Describing the attack on Laloo Prasad as "pre-planned", Mukherjee said "people don't come wearing Bajrang Dal bands. It was all organised. These people took positions (to attack Laloo)."

Laloo alleged, "It was a State-sponsored attack. Ice slabs were thrown on my car, which smashed its windowpanes. They did not allow Shabana Azmi to hold a press conference (recently)."

The Railway Minister demanded President's rule in Gujarat charging that there is no law and order in the State. "The attack is not on me but on the secular forces. They are worried because of the ongoing Godhra inquiry."

"I will meet the President. I have told the Prime Minister and spoken to Sonia Gandhi on phone. Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi should be arrested and his Government dismissed. This is my demand," Prasad said.

The CCPA conveyed condolence to the kins of those who died in the train mishap and asked the Railway Minister to provide relief and succour to the injured.