Stand with government, won’t be divided, say Rahul Gandhi, Manmohan Singh

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 15

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the opposition stood with the government and the security forces in whatever decision they took to counter terrorism.

Addressing reporters a day after the dastardly attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir, Gandhi said the terrorists had attacked the soul of India and the Congress stood with the government.

“The aim of terrorists is to divide India but we are not going to be divided even for a second. We stand united. The entire opposition stands with the security forces and the government. This kind of violence against our most valuable people, our soldiers, is disgusting,” he said, flanked by former PM Manmohan Singh and former ministers AK Antony and Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Gandhi said that nothing, no amount of terror, hatred and anger, could undermine the love on which this country had been built.

Manmohan said, “Today is a day of mourning. Our country has lost 40 jawans and our foremost duty is to convey to the grieving families that we stand with them in condemning this act of terror. We will not compromise with acts of terror and will stand together in whatever needs to be done to counter terrorism.”

Gandhi said the Congress would not have any conversations as yet apart from the fact that it stood united with the soldiers and the government.

Gandhi’s press conference marked a departure from the party official spokesperson’s line on the Pulwama attack on Thursday evening.

Congress media head Randeep Surjewala on Thursday had attacked the BJP for its poor national security record, attacked the PM for a series of terrorist attacks in India since he assumed power and taunted him asking “Where is the 56 inch chest now?”

Rahul on Friday clarified the party line saying his party stood with the government at this time of mourning and that no other issues would be raised.

Manmohan also said this is not the time to raise contentious issues.

Surjewala was not present at the press conference.