Leaders condemn Paris attacks

Condemning the multiple terror attacks in Paris that left over 120 dead and many injured, President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India stands firmly behind the people of France in this difficult hour.

Expressing anguish over the strikes, President Pranab Mukherjee said, “India stands firmly by France, my heart goes out to its people.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in London, tweeted: “News from Paris is anguishing and dreadful. Prayers with families of the deceased. We are united with people of France in this tragic hour.”

Union home minister Rajnath Singh said India stands firmly behind the people of France in this difficult hour. In a statement, Mr Singh said he was deeply pained to hear the news of the Paris terror attack. “In this difficult hour, the people of India firmly stand with the people of France. Words can’t adequately condemn such attacks where innocent people have been killed,” Mr Singh said.

Asked whether the terror attack in Paris is the 26/11 moment for France, the minister said, “I don’t want to compare it with any other incident. Terror act is a terror act.” Congress president Sonia Gandhi expressed shock over the terrorist attack in Paris and made a strong pitch for India and France joining hands in the battle against “dark forces” of violence, bigotry and religious extremism.

In a letter to the French President Francois Hollande, Mrs Gandhi said that the attacks have left her and millions in India deeply shocked and saddened. She said that she felt the suffering of the affected people deeply in view of the fact that she had personally experienced her near and dear ones losing to terrorist attacks.

She noted France is a nation that has always proudly defended secular values, nurtured its great traditions of fraternity among mankind and promoted religious and cultural tolerance and understanding. “These are traditions to which India is deeply committed and these shared values constitute a special bond between our two countries”, the Congress president said.

Terming the Paris attack as attack on all of humanity, senior BJP leader L.K. Advani appealed to all world powers to work collectively to defeat terrorist organisations.

“I am deeply shocked to learn about this dastardly terror attack in Paris, killing more than 100 people. I strongly condemn the attack..This is an attack on all of humanity. I appeal to all world powers to collectively work on suppressing these terrorist organisations,” Mr Advani said in a statement.