India to call meet on internal security

NEW DELHI, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is expected to convene a meeting of chief ministers to tighten internal security and fight terrorism.

Interior Minister Shivraj Patil made this announcement in Parliament Tuesday. He urged states to strengthen policing and intelligence services to mount a joint attack on terrorism. Patil was replying to clarifications sought during a discussion on the recent serial blasts in Uttar Pradesh state.

Patil said there was no point in the federal and state governments blaming each other after the terrorist incident.

"There was need for actionable intelligence at the state level. The Intelligence Bureau, the Research and Analysis Wing and defense intelligence could give general information but to ascertain when and where an incident would occur actionable intelligence ought to be put in place," he said.

Opposition parties demanded Patil's resignation, saying the blasts were a failure of the government.