December 13… – Terrorist attack… – on the Indian power centre. The terrorist attack on the Parliament took everyone by surprise and has left an indelible blot in the Indian history. This dastardly attack was denounced world over. PM Vajpayee:
He declared that the battle against terrorism will be fought in a decisive manner. In a short message, Vajpayee said, "The attack was not on Parliament, but on the entire nation. We will see that the terrorists are unsuccessful in their attempts. We are fighting terrorism for the last two decades and the entire country is together in this crisis." Union Home Minister L K Advani:
The attack on the highest legislative body will be condemned by the entire country, he said. Since the terrorists started the trend of suicide squads, any structure could be attacked - but no effort would be spared in tracking down the people behind this act of terror, Advani added. Congress: Expressing deep shock at the dastardly attack by terrorists, Congress said it cannot refrain from pointing out that the primary task and sole responsibility for safeguarding the nation was that of the government. This incident brings out a monumental security and intelligence failure, particularly highlighted by the fact that government had previous information about a possible terrorist attack on Parliament. BSP:
The Bahujan Samajwadi Party appealed to the people that they should unitedly hit back at terrorism, while the government should stand above petty politics and wipe out the menace. It termed the Parliament attack as a security failure. Mulayam Singh:
Samajwadi party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav condemned the terrorist attack on the Parliament House. Speaking to media persons, Mulayam Singh Yadav, said that his party was opposed to terrorism in all its all manifestations. Terrorism must be tackled with an iron hand, he added. AP CM Chandrababu Naidu (TDP): The incident is an eye-opener. While 99 per cent of our people are peace-loving, the remaining one per cent want to create chaos in the country. We need a special law to tackle such elements. All the political parties must rise above their differences and support such a legislation," he told newspersons. Sri Lankan PM Ranil Wickremesignhe:
Condemning the attack on Indian Parliament, Sri Lankan Prime Ministe Ranil Wickremesinghe, described it as a senseless violence against elected representatives. "I was shocked to hear about the terrorist attack on Lok Sabha, the symbol of democracy in India." President Bush (US):
United States President George Bush and conveyed their outright condemnation of the terrorist attack on Parliament. Bush who called up Vajpayee separately, also came out with strong expression of sympathy for the victims of the attacks. The US Embassy in New Delhi condemned the attack on India`s Parliament as an act of terrorism Thursday. "We condemn this outrageous act of terrorism and express our deepest sympathy to the families of the victims of this attack," said embassy spokesman Gordon Duguid. PM Blair (UK): British Prime Minister Tony Blair telephoned Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and in a statement said, “Terrorism achieves nothing. It only causes pain and heartache for everyone involved. Indian democracy has shown strength and resilience over the years and I am confident it will do so again despite this appalling attack”. Russian President Vladimir Putin:
Russian President Vladimir Putin also called up Prime Minister Vajapyee and strongly condemned the attack on the symbol of democracy. He too expressed sympathy for the victims of the attacks. Musharraf: Pakistan condemned terrorist attack on the Parliament House complex in New Delhi and President Pervez Musharraf sent a message to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee conveying his deep condolences over the loss of life in the incident. ``I was shocked to learn about the attack by armed intruders on the Indian Parliament building in New Delhi. I have been saddened by the loss of life and the injuries suffered by Indian security personnel in the attack,`` Gen Musharraf said. ``My government strongly condemns the attack. Through you, I would like to convey our sympathies to the government and people of India as well as our deep condolences to the bereaved families,`` he added. Former army chief Gen Shankar Roy Choudhary:
Former army chief Gen Shankar Roy Choudhary on Thursday said that the attack on parliament house by terrorists ``is an explicit declaration of war`` against India by terrorist organisations and those who support them. Gen Choudhary, a Rajya Sabha member, who was inside the house at the time of the terrorists` strike, said the attack is comparable to the September 11 terrorist attack on the US. Bureau Report