Mumbai blasts evoke widespread condemnation and appeals for calm

New Delhi, July 11 (UNI) President A P J Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today led the nation in severely condemning a series of bomb blasts that rocked the suburban rail network in the country's commercial hub this evening, killing around 150 people and injuring over 300.

Dr Kalam strongly condemned the blasts in some local trains in Mumbai and grenade attack on tourists in Srinagar.

The President said such inhuman acts are condemnable outright and those responsible for the crimes should be brought to book at the earliest.

Dr Kalam appealed to the people to maintain calm and peace and assist tbe administration in providing relief to the affected persons. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Dr Manmohan Singh declared that the government would work to defeat the evil designs of terrorists and not allow them to succeed.

He appealed to the people to maintain calm in the wake of the series of blasts that claimed several lives in Mumbai and Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement issued after presiding over an emergency meeting at his 7, Race Course Road residence here tonight, Dr Singh assured the people that the government would take all possible measures to maintain law and order and defeat the forces of terrorism.

''The series of blasts in Jammu and Kashmir and in Mumbai are shocking and cowardly attempts to spread a feeling of fear and terror among our citizens. My heart reaches out and grieves for all those affected by these blasts and have lost their near and dear,'' he said.

''I condemn these shameful acts aimed at our peace-loving people. I reiterate our commitment to fighting terror in all its forms,'' he said.

UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi asked Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh to tighten security measures and maintain peace and harmony.

Expressing grief and shock at the series of explosions in Mumbai and Srinagar, Mrs Gandhi urged the people to ''collectively isolate'' such elements (perpetrators of the terrorist incidents).

Mr Patil also deplored the acts, saying the Government will take all possible measures to ensure law and order in the wake of the serial blasts and appealed to the people to maintain calm.

Describing the blasts in Mumbai as ''tragic and dastardly'', Railway Minister Lalu Prasad assured that his ministry would launch all possible relief operations to mitigate the sufferings of the victims.

Mr Patil and Mr Prasad will also be leaving for Mumbai tonight along with senior officials for a spot inspection of the situation.

The Left parties also strongly condemned the blasts and asked the government to beef up security across the country and restore normalcy.

''We would also appeal to the people not to fall prey to any provocation. The whole country must unitedly face the situation,'' CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury said.

Meanwhile, the BJP said the Government should act firmly against terrorists, their organisations and their patrons.

Asking the people to maintain peace and calm in the face of grave provocations, on behalf of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Leader of Opposition L K Advani and BJP President Rajnath Singh, party Spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the root of the problem was the "kid glove handling" of the terrorist menace by the UPA constituents for the sake of vote bank politics.

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