Mumbai serial blasts: Praful Patel says its an attack on economic growth

Terming the Mumbai blasts as an attack on India's economic growth, Union Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Praful Patel on Wednesday said the Centre and state governments should set up a specialised force to deal with such situations in big cities.

Patel also agreed with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remarks that it is not possible to keep a check on all such incidents due to the city's size.

"There are slums and other such areas in big metros which make the work of police and security agencies difficult. But this cannot become a permanent disability. The Centre and the state government will have to find ways and means including setting up of a specialised force to check repeat of such incidents in big cities," he said.

The Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises also said that such attacks send out a "wrong signal" as it is an attack on India's "economic growth and might."

He said since 1993, Mumbai has been targeted by terrorists every two-three years because it is the economic capital of the country.