Political parties stood in solidarity with the defence personnel and the government in the wake of the terrorist attacks against a CRPF convoy in Pulwama on Thursday. While the BJP cancelled all political programmes on Friday, the Opposition parties pledged support to the efforts of the Centre in dealing with the situation after the attacks.

Congress lends support

Terming the attacks disgusting, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said the aim of terrorism is to divide the country. “We are not going to be divided even for a second. No matter how hard people try, this country and the entire Opposition is going to stand together with our jawans and the government,” he said.

When asked about the withdrawal of the MFN status, he said he said he does not want to comment on any other issue, but reiterated the support to the Centre. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh said people of the country will work together as a nation to deal with this menace of terrorism. “Terrorism is a scourge. It is something with which we can never compromise,” he said.

“Our sympathies are with those who have lost their near ones and we will do all that is necessary to keep this nation united in support of anti-terrorist measures,” he added.

The ruling BJP cancelled all its political programmes on Friday.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting in Madhya Pradesh’s Itarsi has also been cancelled, along with rallies in Odisha and Chhattisgarh, which were to be addressed by BJP President Amit Shah.

He, however, said the government will continue with development works. “We will continue development work. The agenda of the terrorists is to create obstructions in the path of development, but we will not let them succeed,” he added. Railways Minister Piyush Goyal said it was important to keep the trains running, just like trains were restarted after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

The Left parties said violence is not the answer to resolve issues which require the engagement of all stakeholders in the State. “The Modi government had promised, three years ago, to initiate a political process involving all stakeholders through a dialogue. This has not happened. This must be done immediately,” the CPI(M) said in a statement.

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