LJP MP joins ‘Patil act tough’ chorus in govt

NEW DELHI: A day after Union railway minister and RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav lashed out at the government���s inept handling of terrorism-related issues, another member of the ruling UPA joined the growing chorus of voices questioning Mr Shivraj Patil���s credentials as the Union home minister.

LJP MP Ranjeeta Ranjan on Tuesday vent her outrage over Mr Patil���s stewardship of the home ministry and his ``soft-on-terror������ approach.

``Mr Patil���s statement after Delhi serial blasts that he knew about the terror plot, but was not aware of the sites was quite irresponsible. It has damaged the UPA government���s reputation,������ Ms Ranjan, who���s the wife of the RJD MP from Madhepura, Rajesh Ranjan, better known as Pappu Yadav, told newspersons in Jallandhar on Tuesday.

The MP from the flood-ravaged Saharsa, who was elected to the Lok Sabha on the LJP ticket, but has since then fallen out with Union chemicals and fertiliser minister Ram Vilas Paswan and is now part of the RJD camp, was quite forthcoming in her views about the Union minister���s track-record. Asked whether she too was in favour of Mr Patil���s resignation, she replied: ``I am too junior to demand his resignation, but his role after Saturday blasts cannot be lauded. He needs to change his approach towards terrorism and act hard.������ The LJP MP backed the Supreme Court���s decision to extend the ban on Simi, arguing that any organisation which was involved in anti-national movement deserved such a treatment. The LJP MP���s decision to go public with her assessment on the government���s handling of the issue mirrored the growing popular concern over the kid-glove treatment being handed out towards terrorism by the ruling combine.