President,PM condemn Malegaon blasts

New Delhi, Sep 8 (UNI) President A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and leaders of various political parties today condemned the terror attack which claimed nearly 35 lives in Malegaon and appealed for peace and communal harmony.

The United States expressed shock over the terrorist bombings and said it was with India in its fight against terrorism.

''I am shocked and saddened by the brutal terrorist bombings that killed innocent civilians outside a mosque in Malegaon today. There can be no justification for such heinous acts. The United States stands with India in its fight against terrorism,'' the US Ambassador to India David C Mulford said in a statement here.

In a letter to Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, the President said he was sure the state government was taking all steps to provide help to the families of the deceased and to those injured.

He conveyed his condolences to the families of the deceased.

Condemning the blasts, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appealed for peace and communal harmony and urged the people to remain calm.

The Prime Minister has been kept appraised by the Union Home Ministry and Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh about the blasts, a PMO spokesman said.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee also strongly condemned the terror attack in Malegaon and expressed shock and sorrow at the loss of a number of innocent lives in the blasts.

In a message from Abuja, Nigeria, where he is attending the 52nd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, Mr Chatterjee also conveyed his deep sympathies to the members of the bereaved families and wished the injured a speedy and complete recovery.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi expressed her condolence at the deaths of people who lost their lives in the blasts and wished speedy recovery to those who were injured.

Congress spokesman Satyavrat Chaturvedi told reporters in New Delhi that Ms Gandhi had condemned the ''dastardly act of the destructive elements'' and said the incident had ''further strengthened our resolve to fight such elements.'' Senior BJP leader and former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani said the blasts in Malegaon, coming on the heels of Mumbai serial blasts, was a serious security matter and it was time for the nation to think and act together.

Addressing the BJP National Executive in Dehradun, he said the government should take the issue seriously and deal with it effectively.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil condemned the blasts, saying they were meant to cause communal disturbances in the state. He has spoken to the political leadership of the state and would visit the sites tomorrow.

The blasts at Mushaira Chowk and outside the Kabristan claimed lives of ''innocent, unsuspecting, vulnerable people,'' Home Secretary V K Duggal said.

The CPI also condemned the blasts, and urged the people of Maharashtra and the rest of the country to show the ''same resilience'' that was deployed by the people of Mumbai after the serial blasts in suburban trains.

Stressing maintenance of unity and communal harmony to defeat the purpose of terrorists, the party said the situation demanded more coordinated and effective measures against terrorists as such attacks were taking place despite warning and alertness by the government.

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UNI Team RP KP2050