 |
Wednesday,
August 27, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
|
Proxy war by Pak
Mumbai, August 26 “I would say that our neighbour’s war of terrorism against us is directed not only in Jammu and Kashmir as the worldwide impression has it...The analysis and experience of the past shows that the target is not only J and K, Punjab or Delhi alone, there is an attempt to destabilise the whole of India,” he said. Mr Advani, who held parleys with Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and his deputy Chaggan Bhujwal at the Mumbai airport, said “Lashkar-e-Toiba’s involvement (in the blasts) raises doubt about our neighbour”. Observing that nobody claimed the bodies of two Lashkar militants recently killed in an encounter here as they were Pakistanis, he said this was similar to the strategy adopted in J and K. Talking to reporters, the Deputy Prime Minister said it must be realised that Pakistan’s hostility towards India was not due to J and K but actually because of the progress made by the country in the past five decades.
Recalling the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, he said the pattern was similar and vehicles were laden with explosives which were the principal instruments of the traumatic tragedy 10 years ago that took away 250 lives. Mr Advani, who visited the blast sites at the Gateway of India and Mumbadevi and the injured at J.J. Hospital, said the same kind of elements were involved in yesterday’s explosions. Observing that the authorities in Dubai had deported to India gangster Ejaz Pathan, he said Pakistan should hand over 19 Pakistan-based persons wanted by New Delhi. Maintaining that the Centre and the Maharashtra Government were determined to combat the menace of terrorism together, the Deputy Prime Minister said he was confident that the culprits behind the incident would be nabbed. “The Centre and the state are cooperating in sharing intelligence and other matters. We have resolved to gain victory over terrorism,” he said when asked about the reported demand by some BJP leaders that the Maharashtra Government should be dismissed. Accompanied by Union Minister of State for Power Jayawanti Mehta and former Chief Minister Narayan Rane, Mr Advani inquired about the condition of the injured at the hospital and complimented the doctors and other staff for their prompt service. He later left for Aurangabad where he would address a public meeting. —
PTI |
|||||||||
|
Sonia visits
blast victims
Mumbai, August 26 Talking to mediapersons after visiting the site of the first blast at Zaveri Bazaar, Ms Gandhi said, “It is a menace. We all have to fight it together and ensure such incidents do not recur”. Terrorists attacking different parts of the country had become a menace which had to be dealt with a strong hand, she said. Ms Gandhi said the guilty should be brought to book and punished. Clad in a crisp white saree, Ms Gandhi, accompanied by Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, state Congress president Ranjit Deshmukh, Mumbai Regional Congress Committee chief Gurudas Kamat, party MP Murli Deora and Ms Ambika Soni drove down to Zaveri Bazaar soon after landing at the airport here this afternoon. She took a round of the devastated area in Pydhonie before replying briefly to the queries by the media. She appreciated the work of the hospitals and their staff, including the doctors who have been attending to the injured.—
UNI |
|
Bush condemns blasts New Delhi, August 26 In a statement made available by the US Embassy here today, Mr Bush said: “On behalf of all Americans, I send condolences to all affected by the tragedy and to the Government of India”. In a message to the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the German Chancellor, Mr Schroeder, said news of the attacks had touched him profoundly. He said Germany stood at the side of India in this tragic hour. Japan also condemned the Mumbai bombings saying that terrorism in any form could not be justified. The Japanese government expressed its deep sorrow over the deaths and offered its sincere condolences to the bereaved families. Reports from Washington say that the UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, has described the Mumbai blasts as “acts of terror” and “despicable”. China also condemned the explosions and expressed sympathy for families of the victims and the injured. |
 |
| Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir | Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs | Nation | Editorial | | Business | Sport | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh Tribune | Ludhiana Tribune 50 years of Independence | Tercentenary Celebrations | | 123 Years of Trust | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
