Tributes to Congress leader Vidya Charan Shukla

Leaders of the Congress Party have paid tributes to senior Congress leader Vidya Charan Shukla, who died in Medanta hospital in Gurgaon today, as a result of the wounds received by him during the attack on Congress rally by Maoists in Chhattisgarh.

Senior Congressman Shakeel Ahmad said that V.C. Shukla's death was a huge blow for the party. "The entire Congress Party is very shattered to hear about V.C. Shukla's death, this is very sad news. He was severely injured in the Congress Party's 'parivartan' rally in Chhattisgarh."

He added:" Shukla's was extremely committed to his party and even at the age of 84 he traveled sitting in a car to participate in the Congress Party's rally".

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Shukla, 84, had sustained injuries during the attack by Maoists in Chattisgarh. He was hurt in his right lung and liver. He was brought to the Medanta hospital in Gurgaon, where he has remained critical for the last few days.

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Among those killed was Mahendra Karma, a senior Congress leader from Chhattisgarh who founded an anti-Maoist group and was believed to be the main target of the attack. The state's Congress party leader and his son were also killed.

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Expressing grief over Shukla's demise, Bharatiya Janata Party said that it is time when all political parties cooperate with each other and fight the Maoists.

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"We are deeply saddened by the demise of congress party leader, V.C. Shukla. We pay tribute to him on behalf of the entire party. I think the time has come that the Maoist insurgency needs all to get together and fight it to avoid such losses," said BJP leader, Vijay Sonkar Shastri.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the attack and said, that his government would take firm action. Singh, who flew to Chhattisgarh with Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi, has called the Maoists the greatest domestic threat to India.