Blasts UPA's failure, says BJP; CM calls for calm

New Delhi: As twin blasts rocked Hyderabad on Saturday evening, the BJP began its blame-game and called the incident UPA’s failure.

The Party critisised Government's handling of internal security for the Hyderabad bombings and sought a high-level investigation into the explosion.

"We have been constantly warning the Centre that it should take adequate measures to strengthen internal security, but the Congress-led Government has never bothered to rein in terror. These condemnable blasts appear yet another act of terror in the face of the UPA's soft approach on terrorism," PTI quoted senior BJP leader Vijay Kumar Malhotra as saying.

The BJP leader added that the Government needed to bring back anti-terror laws to combat the terror. "We came with POTA and they(UPA) scrapped it for their own vote-bank politics. Time and again, it has been proved that you cannot deal with terror with ordinary laws, you have to have tough measures to fight the scourge," PTI quoted Malhotra as saying.

Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S R Reddy and top police officials confirmed that the blasts were, indeed, meticulously planned and coordinated and aimed at causing terror in public places and highly commercial areas. “It is definitely an act of terror. But I request everyone to maintain calm,” he said.

MoS Home Sriprakash Jaiswal echoed Reddy’s view. “I appeal to the people to stay calm. This is definitely a terror attack. We will try our best to get the perpetrators to justice. We will provide the state police will all the help they need,” he said.

Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta told CNN-IBN on Saturday evening that he was in touch with the state government. "Whatever is necessary would be done . We are sending a senior officer to the Hyderabad . I would not like to speculate on the organisation behind the blast," he said.

Government officials have condemned the act of terror in Hyderabad. “We are hoping that Koti blast is not big and that it was a gas cylinder and not explosives that caused it. The blasts at Lumbini park is unfortunate as families with children were also there,” said MP from Khammam Renuka Chowdhury.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, President Pratibha Patil and Vice President Hamid Ansari condemned the Hyderabad blasts and expressed shock over the loss of innocent lives.

(With Agency inputs)