Rs condoles blast, stampede, flood deaths

New Delhi, Oct 17 (UNI) The Rajya Sabha today expressed its condolences over the death of former members Harkishen Singh Surjeet, Krishna Kumar Birla and Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw while conveying sorrow over loss of lives in serials blasts, the stampedes in Naina Devi and Chamunda Devi and the Kosi floods in Bihar.

Commencing business in the second part of 14th session of Parliament, Chairman Hamid Ansari expressed the condolences of the House on the passing away in the past few months of former members Chimanbhai Haibhai Shukla, Mr N R Dasari, Mr Thillai Villalan, Mr J Chitharanjan, Mr Ghufran Zahidi, Mr Harkishen Singh Surjeet, Mr K K Birla and Field Marshal SHFJ Manekshaw.

The House observed two minutes silence in the memory of the departed.

It also expressed its sorrow over the massive loss of lives in the serial blasts in various parts of the country over the past few months including Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Agartala. At the same time, it also expressed its sadness over the deaths in the stampedes in the Naina Devi temple in Bilaspur and the Chamunda Devi temple in Rajaathan.

The House also expressed its conldolences over the deaths and havoc due to the flooding of the Kosi river in Bihar.

As the House stood up to observe a two minutes silence on the loss of lives in the blasts, stampedes and Kosi flooding, members of the Left parties demanded that a reference be also made to those who died in the communal attacks in Orissa and Karnataka.

Upon this, the Chairman said ''the House mourns the death of all innocents citizens who have lost their lives for one reason or the others''.

While Mr Dasari represented the state of Andhra Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha from April 1998 to April, 2004, Mr Villalan represented Tamil Nadu from April, 1968 to April, 1974, Mr Chitharanjan represented Kerala in the House from April, 1997 to April, 2003, Mr Khan Ghufran Zahidi represented Uttar Pradesh from November, 1996 to July, 1998 and thereafter from July, 1998 to July, 2004.

Mr Harkishan Singh Surjeet represented Punjab in the Rajya Sabha from April, 1978 to April, 1984 while Mr K K Birla was a member of the Rajya Sabha from Rajsathan for three terms, from April 1984 to April, 2002.

UNI AR NK AS1244