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Home Ministry seeks report
The union government has sought a report from the Karnataka government on the serial blasts in Bangalore that left two people dead and several injured on Friday.
- IANS
- Published: 23:41 July 25, 2008
- Police officers and bomb squads inspect the site of a bomb blast near a bus stand in Bangalore on Friday.
- Image Credit: AP
Bangalore: The union government has sought a report from the Karnataka government on the serial blasts in Bangalore that left two people dead and several injured on Friday.
The bombs fitted with timer devices went off in a space of about 45 minutes in different areas of the city.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil condemned the blasts in the IT hub, promising all help to the state government in tracking down the perpetrators.
"I strongly condemn today's blasts in Bangalore. I convey my sympathies to the affected families and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured," Patil said in a statement.
"The ministry is in close touch with the Karnataka government. Such incidents will not deter the government from pursuing its policy of dealing with anti-national elements in a resolute manner."
Minister of State for Home Shakeel Ahmad said: "We have sought a report from the state government."
Intelligence reports
"We condemn the blasts and if the state authorities ask for help we will be happy to send a central team to investigate the matter," Ahmad said.
He said central intelligence agencies had sounded the Karnataka government about the lurking threat. "We have sent messages to some state governments, including the Karnataka government, about reports of terror attacks."
Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said the blasts were aimed at disturbing peace.
"This is the work of anti-social elements and anti-national forces," he told reporters after an emergency cabinet meeting.
"Bangalore enjoys the reputation of being the fourth largest tech hub in the world... People of Karnataka are known for peace and tolerance. This is a pre-planned action to create panic and disturbances," Yeddyurappa said.
"The situation is under control and I appeal to the people not to panic.
"We are keeping the central government informed of the developments.
"The government is not declaring a holiday for schools and colleges tomorrow," he said.
In New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the blasts and appealed to people to maintain calm.
Singh expressed grief over the loss of life and sent his condolences to the bereaved.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state, while condemning the blasts, blamed the central government's "soft approach" towards terrorism for the incident.
Party president Rajnath Singh and BJP parliamentary party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra, in separate statements, condemned the blasts.
BJP tirade
"This is a condemnable act and if the government keeps compromising national security for vote bank politics, the terrorists will be emboldened," said Malhotra.
Rajnath Singh sent out instructions to Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to take strong measures to identify the culprits and promised all help to the victims' families.
He said it was not a coincidence that things had come to such a pass: the central government had accepted the support of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir despite its call for the withdrawal of the army from the state.
"The PDP sought to pull out the army from the state and the results are before everyone. There have been terror attacks. The PDP went to the extent of suggesting a dual currency system that would also allow the Pakistan Rupee in the state. When politics reaches such an abysmal level, these things are bound to happen," he said.
Leading IT firms in the state advised their staff to go home immediately after the blasts were reported but said the work schedule for today would not change.
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