Lok Sabha mourns Naina Devi, Jodhpur temple tragedies

New Delhi, Oct 17 (UNI) The Lok Sabha today expressed its 'profound' sorrow on the tragic incidents at Naina Devi Temple at Bilaspur and Chamunda Devi Temple in which hundreds of people were killed and several injured.

The House also expressed its concern over unprecedented floods which wreaked havoc in Bihar and Assam, resulting in heavy loss of property and rendering a large number of people homeless.

Earlier, the House paid its respects to two of its sitting members and seven former members of the House, who died in the inter-session.

The House, condemning terrorist strikes in many parts of the country, also condoled the deaths of several innocent people and para military personnel in such incidents. Before it was adjourned for the day, the House observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect to the memory of the departed.

The members who died during the inter-session period were Mr D C Srikantappa(Chikmagalur) and Mr Kishan Lal Diler, Hathras (UP) (both sitting members belonging to BJP), Mr Rajendra Agnihotri, Mr Ram Sajivan, Mr Tej Pratap Singh, Prof P R Ramakrishnan, Mr Shiv Sampati Ram, Mr Pratap Singh Saini and Mr Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi.

Reading out the obituary references, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said Mr Srikantappa, an agriculturalist by profession, had special interest in the scientific development and use of modern technology in agriculture, horticulture, cultivation of orchards and in plantation crops.

A committed social and political worker, Mr Srikantappa participated in the freedom struggle. he had been a member of the Coir Board from 1998 to 1999 and from 2004 to 2008.

Mr Diler, who died on September 4, was a well-known social worker who also served as the Vice-President of the Scheduled Castes Forum, Uttar Pradesh, Mr Chatterjee said.

He had also been a member of 11th, 12th and 13th Lok Sabha and also served as member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly for five terms from 1967 to 1993.

Mr Chatterjee also lauded the contribution of the seven former members to the House.

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