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Monday, Oct 04, 2004

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National

Kalam condoles loss of lives in blasts

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, OCT. 3. The President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, has condoled the loss of lives in a series of bomb blasts and militant attacks at Dimapur in Nagaland and in Assam yesterday.

In separate condolence messages to the Assam Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, and the Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio, Mr. Kalam said that the acts of violence "are to be condemned and are reprehensible acts of people who do not value innocent human lives, even those of women and children.''

"I fervently hope that permanent peace will return to the State soon. I am sure the State Governments have made all arrangements to treat the injured and provide succour to the families of those who have lost their loved ones," he said.

Strategy sought

The Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Bharatiya Janata Party have condemned the blasts and called upon the Centre, the State Governments and the authorities to work out a strategy to counter such incidents.

In a statement here today, the CPI (M) Polit Bureau said that the Central Government should immediately convene meetings with the State Governments and other authorities in the North-East to work out a strategy.

Expressing shock and condemning the Nagaland blasts, the CPI (M) said that the "premeditated manner" in which the bombs were placed at the railway station and the market showed the "aim of the attacks is to disrupt peaceful atmosphere in the State."

On the attacks in Assam, they said, "All attempts to foment ethnic conflicts through such violent attacks have no support from the common people. The growing trend of extremist groups resorting to indiscriminate violence in Assam must be countered by firm action and popular mobilisation to isolate them."

'Talk to State Governments'

The CPI urged the Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, now visiting Assam and Nagaland, to talk to the State Governments and other authorities and evolve a strategy to counter the insurgency and prevent further deterioration of the situation. "It is also necessary to take fresh political initiatives to restore normality and tranquillity in the entire North-East region," the party said.

Condemning the incidents, the BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, said: "It appears that the Government does not seem to be very sensitive towards the internal security issues. Beginning with Manipur and now Nagaland and Assam, the whole of North-East seems to be burning."

PTI and UNI report from Guwahati:

The BJP in Assam today said that yesterday was a `black day' for the State and alleged that the Congress Government in the State had lost the moral right to continue. "The day was a black day for the State when many innocent lives were lost and the Government just remained a mute spectator," a spokesman for the party's State unit, Dhruba Baishya, said. He alleged that the State Government was "directionless" and had no policies to deal with militancy.

Assam bandh

The All-Bodo Students Union (ABSU) has called for a 12-hour Assam bandh tomorrow to protest against the killing of innocent people.Several other organisations have also condemned the killings and extended support to tomorrow's bandh.

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