UPA government Not soft on terror, Asserts PM on Assam visit

New Delhi: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi visited Assam's main city of Guwahati on Saturday to review the situation following serial blasts that left 81 people dead and over 400 injured.

Talking to media persons after visiting the blast sites, Manmohan Singh extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the blast victims. Defending the government, the PM said that, “UPA is not soft on terror.”

He gave assurance that strict action would be taken against those found guilty. “We will take strict action against the culprits behind such incidents and if any other country is found to be involved then the government will take up the matter with them,” he said.

The PM however declined to comment on the status of investigation.

Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi also visited the blasts victims at a hospital here amidst a state-wide bandh called by the BJP, AASU and several other organizations.

After arriving at the Lokopriyo Gopinath International Airport where they were received by Governor S C Mathur and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi they drove to the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital to meet the injured in the serial blasts.

There was tight security around the hospital and media persons were not allowed to enter.

Later, Singh and Gandhi would also meet the injured at the Guwahati Medical College Hospital.

The leaders would visit the blast site near the Deputy Commissioner's office and hold a high-level meeting with the chief minister, cabinet members and senior officials.

The PM’s visit to Assam comes a day after a local news channel said that it was contacted by an unknown terror outfit named Islamic Security Force, which claimed responsibility of the blasts along with the notorious Indian Mujahideen (IM).

Zaheer Hussain, the Managing Editor of News Live, a local Assamese channel, said that the claim was made by the terrorist outfit in an SMS sent to them.

The police yesterday picked up a person named Zulfiquar Ali from Nagaon for alleged involvement in the blast. His vehicle was supposed to have been used in the blasts.

The scale and planning behind the blasts have led the police to suspect local militants joining hands with terrorist outfits to carry out the coordinated strikes.

A team of NSG experts from New Delhi visited the blast sites at Ganeshguri, the Deputy Commissioner's Office and Fancy Bazaar to make an on-the-spot assessment of terror strikes that left over 450 wounded.

ULFA denied any hand in the blasts.

"We are not taking seriously the denial by the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA-of being responsible for the blasts) because on earlier occasions also they have done so", a top Assam police official said. The ULFA cadres are being trained by the Jehadi militants and there is definitely a link between the two which is being investigated, he said.



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