The attack on the Parliament House exposed the claims of the BJP-led NDA coalition government. When Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Union Home Minister L.K.Advani warned that the Parliament House was on the hit list of terrorists, the nation took for granted that adequate steps would be taken to meet the expected challenge. And when Shri Vajpayee virtually chastised those who viewed the threat report lightly saying "it is not a figment of imagination", the nation was confident that he himself would have taken the threat seriously and put in place measures to defend the Parliament House.

But unfortunately it was not so. Nothing had been done to strengthen the security of the Parliament House. The result was nine lives were lost. The security personnel making supreme sacrifice saved the temple of democracy. The Congress party and its president Sonia Gandhi were shocked and took the government to task for unpardonable complacence and inexplicable negligence. But as a stateswoman, she rose above the trauma and appealed for unity at this hour of crisis. We should all stand as one man to face the crisis, whatever be our difference, she said

Let Us Stand United : Sonia Gandhi
Intervening in the Lok Sabha, the Leader of the Opposition and the Congress president, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, condemned the attack on the Parliament House, lashed out at the government’s inability to prevent it, but said ‘the entire country must stand together in solidarity’ to face the menace of militants

Government Had Advance Report
A detailed report of the advance information the government had about the attack on the Parliament House

We will Monitor Developments : Sonia Gandhi
Smt. Sonia Gandhi tells the Congress MPs that ‘we must keep vigil over administrative, political and diplomatic steps’ of the Government to meet the challenge

‘Coffins’ in NDA Coalition Cupboard
Text of the CAG report on the purchase of coffins