Five years after the Mumbai terror attack, the BJP accused the Centre of not having learnt any lessons and not being prepared to fend off a similar terror attack.
Pointing out that the country is a sitting duck for terror strikes, senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said the Centre has “neglected critical areas” has made no efforts to reinforce the country’s intelligence services and coastal security.
“The intelligence services are crippled by staff shortages. The Intelligence Bureau (IB) has only 18,795 people on roll as against the sanctioned strength of 26,867, which is a shortage of 30 per cent. The Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) has an overall deficit of 40 per cent and it lacks analysts who can crack enemy codes.
The post of Additional Secretary, technical cadre [in RAW] has been lying vacant for the past three years….five years, after 26/11 no lessons have been learnt,” Mr. Naidu told reporters in Delhi.
The BJP leader also accused Pakistan of “funding, training and aiding terrorists” and giving “shelter” to those with terror links.
In a statement on Facebook, party president Rajnath Singh said: “The incumbent government at the Centre has failed miserably in putting any diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to act decisively against the forces of evil operating from its territory. The Prime Minister should explain to the people of this country what concrete steps his government had taken in this direction since 26/11?”