Cong, entire Oppn behind security forces, says Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Describing the Pulwama terror assault in which 40 CRPF men lost their lives as an attack on India’s soul, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that both he as well as his party along with the entire Opposition was completely behind the Centre and the security forces. “No amount of hatred or anger can do anything to the love and affection that India is built on,” Mr Gandhi said at a press conference along with former prime minister Manmohan Singh and senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and A.K. Antony.

He added that it was a terrible tragedy and “this type of violence done against the most important Indians, our soldiers, is absolutely disgusting”.

“I want to make it very clear that the aim of terrorism is to divide this country and we are not going to be divided for even one second, no matter how hard people try,” the Congress president said in a press conference where former prime minister Manmohan Singh and senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad were also present.

“They should know that the country does not forget these things,” he said.

Asked about the government’s statement that security forces will be given a free hand, the Congress chief said, “This is a time of mourning. This is a time of respect. We are fully supporting the government and our security forces. We are not going to have any conversation other than the fact that our most beloved people have been killed, their families need us, and we are going to stand with them.”
             
There is going to be no other discussion from the Congress party over the next couple of days on this matter, he asserted.
 
Asked about comments by politicians calling for a strong response to the attack, Mr Gandhi said, “I don’t want to get into these comments. I am very clear, I am hurt, every single person is hurt, and I want to tell the families of the security forces that we are standing with you and our full force is with you.”
           
“We will support the government in its actions. The entire Congress party and all of the opposition, in this difficult time, are going to stand with our jawans and the government,” he added.
 
Former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh told journalists that the priority was to convey to the families of those who have been killed and those seriously injured that “we are with them in condemning this act of terrorism”.
 
“We shall never compromise with terrorist forces. Whatever the country requires, we will work together as one united nation to deal with this menace of terrorism,” he said.