Chhattisgarh assembly pays tributes to train blast victims

Raipur, Feb 20 (UNI) Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha today strongly condemned the ghastly killing of passengers of Samjhauta Express, describing it as an act of cowardice.

As soon as the house assembled, Speaker Prem Prakash Pandey made a reference about Sunday night's blast in Samjhauta Express near Panipat in Haryana in which 66 people were killed and many others maimed.

''We strongly condemn terrorism. It's an act of cowardice to kill innocent people. It is a crime against humanity'', he said and paid homage to those who had lost their lives in the train blast.

Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh said he felt that the incident was the outcome of an ''international conspiracy'' to disturb peace in India. ''I am confident that the people will stand up firmly against such divisive forces and enemies of humanity'', he added.

Mr Singh also expressed confidence that those behind the incident would be exposed very soon.

Paying tributes to the victims, leader of the opposition in the Vidhan Sabha Mahendra Karma strongly condemned the incident saying that the people would unitedly fight back all forms of terrorism.

The house observed two minutes silence and later adjourned for five minutes as a mark of respect to those who had lost their lives in the train blast.

UNI