All-party meet: Political parties unite to condemn Pak’s terror support

New Delhi, Feb 16: All party meet called by the Centre to discuss Thursday's terror attack on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, which left 40 jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force dead passed a resolution condemning the Pulwama terrorist attack today in New Delhi.

All-party meet resolution

The resolution stated, "We strongly condemn the dastardly terror act of 14 February, 2019 at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir. We strongly condemn terrorism in all forms and the support being given to it across the border."

The all-party meeting on Saturday passed a unanimous resolution condemning the Pulwama attacks.

India has faced the menace of cross-border terrorism for the past three decades and that India has displayed both firmness and resilience in dealing with these challenges, it further said.

"India has during the past three decades faced the menace of cross border terrorism. Of late, terrorism in India is being actively encouraged by the forces across the border. India has displayed both firmness and resilience in dealing with these challenges. The entire nation speaks in one voice to express its determination to fight these challenges. Today, we stand united in solidarity with our security forces in fighting terrorism and in defending the unity and integrity of India," the resolution says.

We stand with govt, says Congress

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, speaking to reporters after Saturday's all-party meeting, said: "We had asked the Home Minister to convey to the Prime Minister that he should call a meeting of presidents of all parties. We have communicated to the government what Rahul Gandhi said in his press conference, that the country is in mourning and is angry. Since 1947, apart from a war, this is for the first time a terror attack has claimed so many lives.

We have differences with the government on a number of issues but at this juncture - we are standing with the government for ending terrorism. Militancy has to end," he said.

Omar Abdullah 'disappointed' with all-party meet resolution

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah took to Twitter on Saturday to express his displeasure with the resolution that was unanimously passed in the all-party meet in Delhi.

Disappointed the resolution did not include a call for calm. Reports of violence in Jammu & tension in university/college campuses in some states, I would have expected an appeal for calm to have gone with the condemnation & condolences. https://t.co/psxKrwDBu8

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) February 16, 2019

Shiv Sena urges govt to take action

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut urged the government to take action against those behind the Pulwama attack. "Resolutions were passed after the attacks in Pathankot and Uri as well. We have told them (central government) that they should now take action," he said.

Leaders from different political parties arrived at the parliament complex for the meet. Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and Jyotiraditya Scindia, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Derek O'Brien of the Trinamool Congress, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena, Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan and Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Narendra Singh Tomar were among those who attended the meeting.

This is the first-of-its-kind called by the ruling NDA under Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of a terror attack. Before the meeting began, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba went to the residence of the Home Minister to have one-to-one meeting.

The main opposition party, the Congress on Friday extended full support to the government saying "we are not going to be divided".

"This is a terrible tragedy. This type of violence done against our security forces is absolutely disgusting. The aim of terrorism is to divide this country and we are not going to be divided," Gandhi said.

Earlier, Finance Minister Arun Jaitely said the all-party meeting would be convened to brief political parties on the incident so that the nation speaks in one voice on the issue.

Forty CRPF personnel were killed and five injured on Thursday in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama.

The bus was part of a convoy of 78 vehicles carrying CRPF personnel from Jammu to Srinagar.