By IANS
Guntur (Andhra Pradesh) : Congress president Sonia Gandhi Saturday asked political parties not to play politics in the fight against terrorism as she visited Andhra Pradesh where a terror attack last week claimed 43 lives.
Condemning last week’s twin bomb blasts in Hyderabad, she said it was the handiwork of forces which “do not want to see India making progress”.
Addressing a public meeting here after inaugurating several development schemes during her whirlwind tour of coastal Andhra Pradesh, she asked political parties to be united in the fight against anti-national parties and not to play politics. “Those who resort to such acts of violence do not have any caste or religion,” she said.
The bomb blasts at an amusement park and a popular eatery in Hyderabad Aug 25 had killed 43 people and injured 54.
“I am standing in your midst with a heavy heart. What happened in Hyderabad recently is condemnable. This is the handiwork of forces, which are enemies of Indian society and humanity. They can’t see India marching on the path of development,” she said.
Earlier, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy told the public meeting that it was on his advice that Gandhi did not visit the scene of blasts.
“I advised her not to visit Hyderabad as this will give publicity to forces which are enemies of our development and affect the flow of investment to the state,” he said.
The chief minister said the state was the target of terrorists because of tremendous development it had achieved. “However, no attempt by terrorists will deter us from continuing the march on the path of development,” he said.
Earlier, the chief minister also briefed Gandhi about the situation in the state in the wake of the blasts.
Tight security arrangements were made for her visit.