By IANS,
New Delhi : The president, vice-president, prime minister and main opposition leader Thursday condemned the serial blasts that ripped through Assam killing at least 56 people and injuring about 300.
President Pratibha Patil said such “acts are condemnable and there is no place for violence in our society”.
“At this moment all of us should stand united against divisive forces in the country,” she said.
Vice-president Hamid Ansari said: “Such terrorist acts coinciding with the festive season are intended to disturb social harmony and I urge all citizens to unite in combating this scourge.”
He expressed his sympathy for the families of those killed and injured.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said : “Such barbaric acts targeting innocent men, women and children only highlight the desperation and cowardice of those responsible.”
“I strongly condemn the serial blasts that have taken place in Assam this morning, leading to the loss of many precious lives and injuries to many others. I offer my sincere condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives in the blast and sympathies to those injured,” the prime minister said.
“I am confident that the people of India will rise unitedly against these attempts to disturb peace and harmony and to destroy our social fabric. We will take all possible steps to maintain peace and bring the perpetrators of such acts to justice,” he added.
Expressing deep shock and sorrow at the loss of lives, Lok Sabha Speaker Somanth Chatterjee wished the injured a speedy and complete recovery.
Describing the attack as “ghastly serial bomb blasts”, Chatterjee hoped that “such acts do not result in disrupting peace in the region, which is in the interest of the people of the country as a whole.”
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani said the terror attack highlighted the need to take action against illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
“It (terror attack) again highlights the issue of Bangladeshi illegal immigrants in the country,” Advani told reporters.
Janata Dal-United chief Sharad Yadav, condemning the blasts, said: “The destruction which the country has witnessed during the UPA regime was never seen before. We had suggested to the government to adopt tougher laws against terrorism,” Yadav said.