Patil resigns

newdelhi: Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil, under tremendous criticism over a spate of terrorist attacks in the country since last year, has resigned in the wake of the Mumbai terror strikes. Patil has said that he felt obliged to take "moral responsibility" for the brutal attacks in Mumbai, an official Government source said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has accepted resignation of Home Minister Patil and has forwarded it to the President.

Finance minister P Chidambaram will take over as the new home minister and the finance ministry will now be under the direct charge of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. National Security Adviser (NSA) M K Narayanan resigned on Sunday following the Mumbai terror attacks but Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rejected his resignation, official sources said.

"He (Narayanan) will not be stepping down as the NSA," said a home ministry official. Sources in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had earlier said the NSA had submitted his resignation to Manmohan Singh.

An aide to the prime minister said "more senior members of the government are likely to be shown the door" in the wake of the Mumbai attacks. Government sources said home secretary, Intelligence Bureau chief and head of the Coast Guard were likely to be sacked.

TOI