US House of Rep adopts resolution on Mumbai blasts

Washington, July 20: The US House of Representatives unanimously adopted a strongly-worded resolution condemning last week's terrorist bombings in India and resolved to ''defeat the forces of evil''.

Several Congressmen who spoke on the resolution yesterday said these incidents would only strengthen India-US cooperation against terrorism.

The vote on the resolution, 425-0, came exactly a week after the serial bomb blasts in Mumbai's suburban railway. The July 11 blasts killed more than 200 people and injured hundreds of others.

Before the House voted on the resolution, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said, ''We grieve with India and share their resolve to defeat the forces of evil. We also salute the bravery of millions of residents of Mumbai who got back on those trains the day after the attacks, refusing to alter their lives or concede even a little to the terrorists.

She went on to say how much the world owes to India. ''At a time like this, when we are commending the people of India for their courage and expressing sympathy and condolences with the people and the government of India, it gives us reasons to think about how much we owe India.

''We in the United States came through a civil rights movement gereration ago that was inspired by the spirit of non-violence, which was led in India by Mahatma Gandhi. Our own Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King visited India to learn about non-violence, and we all know what a tremendous impact it had on succeeding in advancing civil rights in our own country. We will be forever in debt to India for that magnificent contribution to our own social progress in the United States.''

She also mentioned how the world owes a debt of gratitude to India for its hospitality to his Holiness, the Dalai Lama. And how the government of India has been a friend to all who are concerned about human rights.

Saying that the resolution ''before us is a strong testament to the shared values and friendship which bind the United States and India,'' Ms Pelosi urged ''its overwhelming adoption by this House.'' Rep Tom Lantos, Democrat from California gave a graphic description of the tragedy in Mumbai. He said, ''Just over a week ago, barbarism boarded seven trains in Mumbai, India, and turned them into a horror show.

The toll was horrific: over 200 dead; hundreds of others maimed and traumatised. Across the region, shocked, grieving people had suddenly lost parents, spouses, children, brothers and sisters to this random, heinous act.'' The House resolution on the Mumbai blasts and a similar Senate measure, come as Congress prepares for possible consideration of legislation required for the US-India civilian nuclear cooperation agreement to go ahead.

Referring to this, Mr Lantos,who is the ranking Democrat on the House International Relations Committee, said on the House floor, ''I think it is appropriate that we demonstrate to our friends in India that we are with them in their times of trouble, and we are with them at moments when they plan to accelerate their economic development and move into the 21st century with large-scale civilian nuclear power.'' Expressing sorrow and sympathy with India, Mr Lantos said, ''With our resolution today, Congress condemns this assault on civilization in the strongest of terms.

There has already been widespread condemnation in the US Congress of the train bombings in Mumbai since the attacks occurred last week.

Several Congressmen, including Gary Ackerman, Frank Pallone, Joseph Crowley and Joe Wilson have in separate statements condemned the blasts as "horrendous" and said they stood with India in these troubled times.

The resolution says the attacks were aimed at undermining the principles on which Indian democracy is based. Condemning as ''heinous and unjustified'' the terror attacks in Mumbai, the resolution also said they were conducted to ''cause economic terror'' Referring to what it called a historic chapter in India-US relations, the resolution said the United States is even more determined to strengthen and support the newly-expanded relationship with India, a friend and democratic ally of the United States The House Resolution No 911, introduced by Congressmen Joseph Crowley and Joe Wilson, also expressed condolences to the families of the victims.

Joseph Crowley, a New York Democrat,the primary sponsor of the Measure, said, ''The terrorists who have been attacking India since (its) founding are the same brand of extremists who continue to threaten the United States of America. The two countries need to increase our cooperation to root out all terrorism. India has remained a strong ally of the United States in the global fight against terrorism, and that will never be forgotten.'' ''With this resolution, we are pledging our support for the Indian government as it seeks to reassure its people and, capture and bring the perpetrators to justice in this difficult time,'' Mr Crowley added.

Republican Ileana Ros Lehtinen who heads the House Central Asia and West Asia Subcommittee, said, ''We greatly value India's commitment to democracy, and we are grateful that it stands beside the United States as an ally in the war on Islamo-fascism.'' Just after the train bombings in Mumbai, the US Senate also condemned the attacks, noting what it called joint efforts between India and the US to combat terrorism.

California Republican Darrell Issa said the attacks in India show that the fight against terrorism is a global one: ''It is often said India and America have a natural bond as two of the largest democracies. Today we share a bond of a common enemy, what the (September 11) Commission identified as Islamist terrorism.'' Congressman Steny Hoyer, Democrat from Maryland, Republican Jim Leach of Iowa, Sheila Jackson Lee, Democrat from Texas and Eliot Engel, D-from New York and several others who spoke on the floor of the House condemned with once voice the ''reprehensible and horrendous act of terrorism'' aimed at creating chaos in a friendly country, India.

All of them extended their deepest sympathy to the people of India and wanted them to ''know that they have our support as they rebuild, recover, and take steps to prevent future acts of terrorism. We stand with India during this dark hour,'' they added.

UNI

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