India directs anger at politicians after Mumbai attacks

By Raju Gopalakrishnan

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indians blazed criticism against their political leaders on Sunday after the attacks in Mumbai which killed almost 200 people, saying their bickering and ineptness was at least partly responsible.

As commandos gunned down the last of the militants, TV channels were divided between covering the operations and an outpouring of venom against both the ruling Congress party-led coalition and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"These are the people who are responsible for the system," author and columnist Shoba De, a Mumbai resident, said on one talk show.

"The city would not have suffered the way it has had it not been for the complete and total abrogation of duty and the kind of negligence we've seen, the kind of indifference we've seen."

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil submitted his resignation to the prime minister on Sunday because of the attacks, the Congress party said.

But that may not be enough to satisfy critics.

"Our politicians fiddle as innocents die," the Times of India said in a front-page comment.

It said while the attacks engulfed Mumbai and hundreds were held hostage, saving them took precedence.