RS condemns Mahabodhi temple blast, Chhattisgarh Naxal attack

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha on Monday condemned the serial bomb blasts at Mahabodhi temple in Gaya district of Bihar and the Maoists attack on a convoy of Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh that led former Union minister V C Shukla and senior party leader Mahendra Karma dead.

Chairman Hamid Ansari described the July 7 terrorist attack on Mahabodhi temple as "senseless act of violence" and said the attack on a world heritage site and holiest seat for Buddhists was "a cause of anguish and deep concern to all." He mentioned of the May 26 Maoist ambush on a convoy of Congress leaders in a dense forest in Chhattisgarh`s Jagdalpur district that left 27 persons dead including senior party leader Karma and Shukla. Ansari also made a reference to the killing of six persons including the Superintendent of Police of Pakur district, Amarjit Balihar, in a Maoists attack in Jharkhand on July 2. Loss of so many innocent lives was "indeed tragic and unfortunate", he said, adding such "dastardly attacks and acts of violence must be condemned in strongest term." Mentioning of death of 23 children due to food poisoning after consuming midday meal at a school in Bihar, Ansari said the loss was "painful and sad". The Chairman also made a reference to flash floods and landslides in Uttarakhand killing 580 persons and injuring 4,473 persons while 5,526 persons were still missing. Floods in several parts of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh damaged infrastructure, he noted, adding, "Loss of so many precious lives in these natural disasters is unfortunate and sad." The House also congratulated recent sporting feats including Indian cricket team winning the ICC Champions Trophy. Earlier, Ansari mentioned of passing of six former members including former Union Minister Khurshed Alam Khan. Khan, a former Governor of Goa and Karnataka, died on July 20 at the age of 94 years. Father of External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Khan represented national capital territory and Uttar Pradesh in the Upper House for two terms - from April 1974 to April 1980 and from July 1980 to December 1984. "In passing away of Khan, the country has lost an able administrator, a distinguished parliamentarian and a dedicated social worker," Ansari said. Freedom fighter and CPI(M) leader Samar Mukherjee, who represented West Bengal in Rajya Sabha from December 1986 to July 1987 and July 1987 to July 1993, passed away on July 18 at the age of 99 years. "In passing away of Mukherjee, the country has lost a veteran freedom fighter, a noted trade unionist, an able parliamentarian and a dedicated social worker," he said. BSP leader Gandhi Azad, who was two term MP from Uttar Pradesh in November 1996 to November 2002 and then from November 2002 to November 2008, passed away on June 5 at the age of 66 years. "In passing away of Azad, the country has lost an able parliamentarian and a dedicated social worker," Ansari said. The House also mourned the death of Madan Bhatia, 83, and Kota Punnaiah, 87, both former members. Members stood in silence as a mark of respect for the departed souls. PTI