Pulwama terror attack: Leaders across various political parities express condolences

Leaders across all political parties on Friday strongly condemned the deadly terror attack in Pulwama on Thursday which claimed the lives of around 40 CRPF personnel.

Leaders of political parties offered condolences to the families of the personnel who lost their lives in the attack.

Bahujan Samaj Party Chief, Mayawati said: "Our party strongly condemns this terrorist attack and offers deepest condolences to the families of the soldiers who lost their lives. We appeal to the central government to find a lasting solution to this problem."

The convoy comprised 78 buses in which around 2,500 personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar. A suspected suicide bomber of Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad targeted the convoy in Pulwama district on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar termed the terrorist as coward and said: "This coward attack on CRPF jawans is condemnable. The whole country is united and I believe that a befitting reply will be given. Our condolences are with the families of martyrs. Their martyrdom will not fail, the country will answer it."

Alok Kumar, International Working President of VHP stated: "Young persons are being enrolled, mistaken in the name of religion, to wage jihad, perpetrate murders all in the name of religion and luxuries in Jannat. This is a challenge to all humanity and the global community must rise to answer such ideology."

Launching a scathing attack on the neigbouring country, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said: "Pakistan is trying to destabilise the country. The nation respects their sacrifice, the country will always be indebted to the security forces. Their sacrifice won't go in vain. The country will give them a befitting reply."

Minister of State Home Affairs, Hansraj Ahir said: "The answer will be given. The government has taken this matter seriously. Their martyrdom will not go in vain and they will have to pay for it."

Calling the Pulwama attack as the massacre, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy told ANI: "It is one of the largest massacres. According to me, there was adequate advance information. Maybe there was a saturation of such warning but they didn't take it seriously. Our country is in danger. Somebody has attacked us from inside and we have to retaliate."

"The entire country is in shock. The government should teach a lesson to these perpetrators in the same way as Americans have killed Laden in Pakistan. I think politics should be stopped for some days," said Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on the killing of around 40 CRPF personnel.

Condemning the terrorist attack, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy hit out at Prime Minister Modi and said: "We are losing our Jawans; Let PM take responsibility for the attack. He said that the Congress leaders are not having 56 inches (chest size), it has been proved that the PM is not having the 56 inches."

The Communist Party of India condemned the attack and wished the injured jawans for the speedy recovery. The party stated, "The party urges upon the authorities to look at the intelligence and security lapses self-critically. The Union government should realise that the Jammu and Kashmir problem is a political problem which needs a political solution for which there should be a political process to reach out to all stakeholders through a meaningful dialogue."

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur announced Rs 20 lakh as compensation to the family of CRPF personnel Tilak Raj who lost his life in the attack.