Thaindian News

New Delhi, Sep 7 (IANS) The Rajya Sabha Wednesday stood together in condemning the blast outside Delhi High Court, with all parties expressing support to fighting the menace of terrorism.

As Home Minister P. Chidambaram made a brief statement on the blast, identical to his earlier statement in Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley stressed on the need to speak in one voice against terror.

“I am also speaking with a sense of anger at a kind of helpless situation we are being pushed into. We have to act and speak in one voice united against this terror, and to think of steps that are required to be taken so that those guilty are brought to book,” Jaitley said.

According to Chidmbaram’s statement, 11 lives were lost and 59 were critically injured in the blast that occurred outside the gate no. 5 of Delhi High Court. (The number of injured was later revised to 76.

“I went to visit the site at 1 p.m…. the bomb blast has left a crater, that points to its high intensity,” Chidambaram said.

Expressing unity and support to the government, leaders from all parties stressed on the need to bring to book the guilty and also strengthen the intelligence system.

“All of us stand behind the government and support every move taken by it to meet the present situation where the terrorists have challenged the heart of Delhi. We must jointly stand (against this),” Bahujan Samaj Party MP Satish Chandra Mishra said.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) member Sitaram Yechury said there should be zero tolerance of terror.

“Terrorism knows neither religion nor caste. It has to be overcome unanimously,” said Yechury, adding: “There should be zero tolerance (of terror).”

Members from other parties also condemned the blast and expressed their resolve to fight terror. The house was then adjourned for the day by Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan at around 3.30 p.m.