New Delhi: Describing the Mumbai terror strikes as a "deliberate assault" on the country, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi today warned that people perpetrating such attacks cannot continue to take India for granted any longer and said the response has to be firm and effective.

"I want to say very categorically here that those who perpetrate such attacks on our people and those who direct or support them cannot continue to take India for granted any longer.

Our response has to be firm and effective," she told a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party here. She said the "whole country is united in its determination to combat the forces of terrorism wherever they may be."

Gandhi said the December 11 resolution in Parliament reflects the resolve of all political parties to set aside their differences when it comes to dealing with the scourge of terrorism.

"They (Mumbai attacks) were a deliberate assault on our nationhood and a brazen attempt to destroy the fabric of our society and our secular democratic way of life," Gandhi said while eulogising security personnel for showing "extraordinary" courage and bravery.

She also referred to the statements of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee about the steps the government was taking as also the passage of the National Investigation Agency Bill and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha.

Source : PTI