Hindus, Muslims condemn Gujarat terror attack By Kavita Bajeli-Datt, Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, Sep 24 (IANS) Hindu and Muslim leaders across the country Tuesday joined hands to condemn a bloody terrorist attack on a Hindu temple in Gujarat that left about 25 people dead and around 70 injured. The appeals from religious leaders came in the wake of similar pleas for peace and calm in Gujarat by the country's top politicians following the massacre in a shrine belonging to the Swaminarayan Hindu sect at Gandhinagar. "It is a terrorist attack. Terrorists have no religion," said Ikram Mirza Beg of the Isalmi Relief Committee in Ahmedabad who has been working among the victims of Gujarat's largely anti-Muslim violence in February-May. "I hope people understand this and the event does not lead to any communal animosity again," he added. Mufti Shabbir Ahmed of the Gujarat Muslim Federation commented: "We condemn this attack. Whoever is responsible must be brought to justice." Swami Madhavpriyadasji, a priest of the Swaminarayan sect in Gandhinagar, echoed the sentiments. "Let us pray for peace and safety of the people," he said. Hindu and Muslim activists in the Indian capital also made calls for communal harmony, worried that terrorist killings could spark renewed sectarian violence in the state. "We wholeheartedly condemn the terrorist attack," said Jagjivan Bakshi of Sanathan Sanskriti Sansthan, which promotes communal peace. "All secular minded people should fight this kind of terrorism." Father Dominic Emmanuel of the Delhi Catholic Archdiocese told IANS: "The civil society should practise patience and understand that these are isolated cases and do not reflect the mood of the society. "People of all religion want to live in peace in India," he added. Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid, the country's largest mosque, said: "No religion preaches terrorism or the killing of innocent people. It is an unfortunate incident. "Victims of such violence are innocent, whether they are Hindu or Muslim." Added Mohammed Mouazzam Ahmed, the Naib Imam of the nearby Fatehpuri mosque: "Islam does not sanction any such violence. We condemn this violence and offer our deep condolences to the families of the dead and injured. "But it is a mystery such an incident has taken place. There should be a high-level inquiry into the storming." --Indo-Asian News Service =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-W-E-B---S-I-T-E-=-=-= To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet | http://www.goacom.com/goanet =================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont want so many e=mails? Join GoaNet-Digest instead !
